Trichothecenes

Trichothecenes constitute a family of more than sixty sesquiterpenoid metabolites.

Fungi that produce them

Produced by a number of fungal genera, including Fusarium, Myrothecium, Phomopsis, Stachybotrys, Trichoderma, Trichothecium, and others.

Substrates

Barley, oats, corn, rye, safflower seeds, wheat, and mixed feeds.   

Associated diseases

Trichothecenes were found in air samples, in the ventilation systems of private houses and office. There are some reports showing trichothecene involvement in the development of “sick building syndrome”.

They are extremely potent inhibitors of eukaryotic protein synthesis. The symptoms produced by various trichothecenes include effects on almost every major system of the vertebrate body, causing a wide range of gastrointestinal, dermatological, and neurologic symptoms.

Stachybotryotoxicosis:

First described as an equine disease. Until recently, human stachybotryotoxicosis was considered a rare occupational disease limited largely to farm workers.

When ingested in high doses by agricultural animals, it causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea; at lower doses, pigs and other farm animals exhibit weight loss and food refusal.

Bennett & Klich, 2003, Breitenbach et al 2002, and Peraica et al, 1999