Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Field outbreaks of leukoencephalomalacia in horses consuming maize infected by Fusarium verticillioides (= F. moniliforme) in South Africa.
- Journal:
- Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
- Year:
- 1981
- Authors:
- Pienaar, J G et al.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In South Africa, there were four separate cases of a serious brain condition called leukoencephalomalacia in horses. This condition was linked to horses eating moldy corn that was infected with a fungus known as Fusarium verticillioides. The symptoms and damage seen in these horses were the same as what has been observed in controlled studies where horses were intentionally exposed to this fungus. It's important for horse owners to be aware of the risks associated with feeding moldy corn to their animals.
Abstract
Four outbreaks of leukoencephalomalacia in horses in widely separated areas in South Africa are reported. The clinical signs and pathological lesions observed in each outbreak are briefly described. Mouldy home-grown maize from which Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc.) Nirenberg (= F. moniliforme Sheldon) was isolated in every instance, was involved in the outbreaks. Clinical signs and pathological lesions were identical to those seen in experimentally produced cases of F. verticillioides poisoning in horses.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7265095/