FUMONISINE MYCOTOXICOSES IN HUNGARY - LEU KOENCEPHALOMALACIA IN HORSES, FATTENING PULMONARY-EDEMA IN PIGS

Fumonisines are one of the most important groups of fusariotoxins prod uced in maize that contaminate regularly maize also in Hungary as in m aize produced all over the world. According to the results of orientat ive investigations carried out until now, they are present in a toxic concentration in mouldy maize or in samples noticeable damaged by moul ds (Fig.). A case of encephalomalacia caused by fumonisine-B-1 has bee n reported (see in details in MAL 8/1996) when the diagnosis was confi rmed by the determination of mycotoxin in the maize fed (18.5 mg/kg). The so-called ''fattening pulmonary oedema in pigs'' has been observed in Hungary, since the 1950's, however its etiology has not been yet c larified. The authors carried out a feeding experiment in 2 pigs with an experimental feed containing 330 mg/kg fumonisine. Both pigs died d ue to severe respiratory symptoms at the 5th day of the experiment. Pa thological and histo-pathological examinations revealed hydrothorax, s evere pulmonary oedema, hepatopathy and initial icterus. The clinical symptoms and pathologic alterations were comparable with those reporte d in the USA in case of PPE disease entity caused by fumonisine-B-1, h owever they were also identical with those of ''fattening pulmonary oe dema in pigs'' observed in Hungary. That was the confirmation that fat tening pulmonary oedema in pigs were caused by fumonisine-B-1 mycotoxi n (see detailed in MAL 1/1997). Prevention is the only control for fum onisine toxicoses. The disease can be prevented by the determination o f fumonisine-B-1 contents in the ''suspected'' maize samples and avoid the feeding of toxic lot in case of both animal species.