Fumonisins are a group of toxic metabolites (mycotoxins)
produced primarily by the fungi Fusarium moniliforme
(teleomorph Gibberella fujikuroi) and F. proliferatum.
F. moniliforme, which infects corn (maize), numerous
grasses, and herbaceous plants, and is cosmopolitan in
cooler regions. Other Fusarium species that produce
fumonisins include F. napiforme and F. nygamai. Fumonisin
B1, the most common toxin, is generally considered to
be produced on moldy corn and silage by certain strains of
F. moniliforme. It is also often abundant in ground feeds
and silage (1–4).
Fumonisins cause neurotic diseases of horses, donkeys,
and mules called “blind staggers” (technically known as
equine leukocephalomalacia, or ELEM). These mycotoxins
destroy areas of an animal’s brain. The disease occurs
sporadically in many countries where these animals forage
for corn left standing in the field after harvest and by
consuming corn screenings or sweepings. Fumonisins are
known to cause pulmonary edema in swine and liver
cancer in rats. However, growing pigs that were fed
a ration containing 78–82% corn heavily colonized by
F. moniliforme grew as well as the control pigs, which
were fed a ration of sound corn. Fumonisins have been
associated with high rates of esophageal cancer of humans
in South Africa and China (1–7).
