Representative toxic microfungi

toxin comments

Claviceps purpurea (ergot) ergotoxine, a complex of toxic alkaloids, ergocryptine, ergocornine, ergocristine, and others causes poisoning in animals and humans; produces vomiting, abdominal pain, numbness, nervous disorders, convulsions, gangrene, and abortion

Stachybotrys chartarum stachybotryotoxin causes a toxicosis in animals and humans; produces stomatitis (inflammatory disease of the mouth), rhinitis (inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose), conjunctivitis (inflammation of the inner surface of the eyelid), failure of blood to clot, blood abnormalities, neurological disturbances, and death

Aspergillus flavus and other species, Penicillium species aflatoxin complex (16 or more known toxins) causes toxicosis in animals and possibly humans; toxins damage liver and kidneys; aflatoxin is one of the most potent liver-cancer-producing agents known

Fusarium sporotrichioides and other Fusarium species fusariogenin, epicladosporic acid, fagicladosporic acid causes alimentary toxic aleukia in animals and humans; produces burning sensation of the mouth, tongue, throat, and stomach; causes nausea, vomiting, headache, cold extremities, hemorrhagic spots, convulsions, anemia, gangrene, death

Cladosporium epiphyllum and other species of Cladosporium same as Fusarium species

Pithomyces chartarum (Sporidesmium bakeri) sporidesmin causes facial eczema (an eruptive severe rash) in cattle; produces sensitization of the skin to sunlight, resulting in scab formation and sores; there may also be severe liver damage

Fusarium species, Rhizopus species, Aspergillus species, Penicillium islandicum, and others luteoskyrin, islanditoxin, citrinin, citreoviridin, and others; a large complex of poisons is involved causes moldy or yellowed rice, which is toxic to animals and humans; the effects in humans have not been well defined; may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, prostration, liver damage, and death; the effects vary greatly because of the various poisons involved