Trichothecenes: Natural occurrence and potential hazard

Abstract

AbstractThe trichothecene toxins are a chemical group of fungal metabolites characterized by a tetracyclic 12, 13‐epoxy‐trichothec‐9‐ene skeleton. There are over 40 naturally occurring derivatives produced predominantly by species ofFusarium but also produced by species ofCephalosporium, Myrothecium, Trichoderma, andStachybotrys. The trichothecene derivatives most commonly encountered in feedstuff are: T‐2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), deoxynivalenol (vomitoxin) and nivalenol. Deoxynivalenol has been isolated from corn and mixed feed more frequently than the other derivatives reported, and moreover, it is frequently found together with the fungal estrogen zearalenone. Deoxynivalenol has frequently been associated with corn refused by swine, vomiting in dogs, and corn used by humans in South Africa. Deoxynivalenol is produced byFusarium roseum, an organism that is commonly found infecting corn in the field and corn stored on‐the‐cob in cribs in the Midwest. The trichothecenes have been implicated in diseases of man called alimentary toxic aleukia in the USSR and have been found in corn in the Transkei where the incidence of esophageal cancer is high. Among domestic animals, trichothecenes such as T‐2 toxin, DAS and deoxynivalenol have been implicated in diseases characterized by a hemorrhagic syndrome in cows and swine, vomiting in swine and dogs, decrease in avian egg production and body weight, refusal of feed by swine and infertility in swine. The data on the residue of the administered T‐2 toxin in domestic animals suggests that trichothecenes can be transmitted into humans.