Toxic effects of mycotoxins in humans. (1/34)

Mycotoxicoses are diseases caused by mycotoxins, i.e. secondary metabolites of moulds. Although they occur more frequently in areas with a hot and humid climate, favourable for the growth of moulds, they can also be found in temperate zones. Exposure to mycotoxins is mostly by ingestion, but also occurs by the dermal and inhalation routes. Mycotoxicoses often remain unrecognized by medical professionals, except when large numbers of people are involved. The present article reviews outbreaks of mycotoxicoses where the mycotoxic etiology of the disease is supported by mycotoxin analysis or identification of mycotoxin-producing fungi. Epidemiological, clinical and histological findings (when available) in outbreaks of mycotoxicoses resulting from exposure to aflatoxins, ergot, trichothecenes, ochratoxins, 3-nitropropionic acid, zearalenone and fumonisins are discussed.  (+info)

Increased responsiveness to intravenous lipopolysaccharide challenge in steers grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue compared with steers grazing endophyte-free tall fescue. (2/34)

Fescue toxicosis in cattle occurs as a result of consumption of ergot alkaloids in endophyte-infected (E+, Neotyphodium coenophialum) tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). The condition is characterized by pyrexia, decreased weight gains, rough hair coats, and decreased calving rates. The objective of this experiment was to investigate whether steers grazing E+ fescue have altered host response to lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin, LPS) challenge compared with steers grazing endophyte-free (E-) fescue. Angus steers (n=8) had continuously grazed either E+ (n=4) or E- (n=4) tall fescue grass for 8 months prior to the experiment. The E+ steers had lower body weight, depressed average daily gain, and decreased basal serum prolactin compared with the E- steers prior to LPS administration. Each steer received a single bolus i.v. injection of LPS (0.2 microgram/kg body weight; Escherichia coli; 026:B6) dissolved in sterile saline, and blood was serially collected every 30 min for 4 h and at 24 h post LPS administration. LPS increased serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), cortisol, and haptoglobin but decreased plasma glucose and IGF-I. Importantly, however, TNF-alpha, cortisol, and IGF-I responses to LPS were greater in E+ compared with E- steers. These results indicated that animals grazing E+ fescue had altered integrated metabolic host response compared with animals grazing E- fescue. Potentially, combined exposure to E+ fescue and a bacterial LPS could have greater deleterious effects on the animal compared with exposure to only one of the two and would likely lead to increased catabolism.  (+info)

Ergotism related to a single dose of ergotamine tartrate in an AIDS patient treated with ritonavir. (3/34)

We report a rare case of ergotism related to a single dose of ergotamine tartrate in a man with AIDS being treated with ritonavir. He was treated with a prostacyclin analogue and made a complete recovery.  (+info)

Alterations in hemograms and serum biochemical analytes of steers after prolonged consumption of endophyte-infected tall fescue. (4/34)

The objective of the current study was to delineate changes that occur in serum analytes and blood cellular elements in cattle that graze endophyte-infested (Neotyphodium coenophialum) tall fescue. Tall fescue is grown on more than 35 million acres (14.2 million ha) of pasture in the United States, and three-fourths of the pastures are infected with the endophyte at a 60% or greater level. Tall fescue toxicosis caused by endophyte-produced ergot alkaloids continues to be the most important grass-related disease in the United States, in terms of economic loss to animal producers. However, the agronomic attributes of tall fescue make it an attractive forage species because of its ability to withstand cool temperatures, drought, poor soil conditions, and intensive defoliation from herbivore species, including insects. Tall fescue toxicosis is a complex disease and the need exists to understand the mechanisms of the toxic effects in order to institute effective, prophylactic control measures. Our group previously reported changes that occur in serum biochemical analytes of cattle that graze endophyte-infected tall fescue. An additional year's worth of data have been added, strengthening and corroborating these data. Consistent and significant changes associated with tall fescue toxicosis during the 3-yr study included decreased serum concentrations of cholesterol, globulin (increased albumin/globulin ratio), prolactin, total protein, and copper. The activity of alanine aminotransferase was decreased in serum, whereas an increase in serum concentrations of creatinine and total bilirubin occurred. The present report also documents comparative hemograms of cattle that grazed endophyte-infected or endophyte-free tall fescue over a prolonged period. The mean erythrocyte counts were increased in cattle that grazed endophyte-infected tall fescue, whereas mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume were decreased, as were mean eosinophil counts. Thus, repeatable changes have been identified that occur in serum biochemical and blood cellular values of cattle grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue that will aid in understanding the pathogenesis of the disease. In addition, these consistently altered parameters can be used to assess the effectiveness of potential prophylactic treatments.  (+info)

Urinary alkaloid excretion as a diagnostic tool for fescue toxicosis in cattle. (5/34)

Fescue toxicosis research studies have often included serum prolactin as a physiologic index of the disorder. Serum prolactin has not been used as a clinical measure of fescue toxicosis because of variation associated with sex and physiologic condition of the animal and climatic and seasonal factors. The primary excretory route of the alkaloids responsible for this toxicosis is the urine. Three pasture experiments were conducted to examine serum prolactin and urinary ergot alkaloid variability among steers continuously grazing endophyte-infected (E+) or endophyte-free (E-) tall fescue and among steers that were switched from one pasture form to the other. A fourth grazing experiment was used to examine how to best to manage the steers prior to sampling for urinary ergot alkaloid excretion. Coefficients of variability for urinary alkaloid excretion were consistently lower (46-65%) than serum prolactin (64-142%). Urinary alkaloid excretion patterns changed within 12 hours following switching steers from E+ to E- pasture or vice versa, but serum prolactin was recalcitrant to change. Because it is less variable and more dynamic than serum prolactin, urinary alkaloid excretion can be used for health assessment of steers grazing E+ and E- pastures. Regression analysis established a quadratic relationship between alkaloid excretion and average daily weight gain, with a regression coefficient of 0.86. Urinary alkaloid analysis was useful in determining whether cattle were consuming toxic tall fescue.  (+info)

Chronic ergot toxicity: A rare cause of lower extremity ischemia. (6/34)

Chronic ergot toxicity is a rare cause of lower extremity ischemia. The cornerstone of therapy in ergot toxicity is to discontinue the use of caffeine, cigarettes, and all ergot-containing medications. Although multiple different therapies have been recommended for acute toxicity, no specific treatment is uniformly recommended in chronic toxicity. We present a case of long-term ergot use for migraine headaches in a woman who had severe chronic lower extremity claudication. This case demonstrates the unique features associated with the diagnosis and management of chronic ergot toxicity. We recommend a conservative approach consisting of observation, antiplatelet agents, and the discontinuance of ergots. If symptoms progress to rest pain or gangrene, surgical treatment should be considered.  (+info)

A simple thin-layer chromatographic method for the detection of ergovaline in leaf sheaths of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) infected with Neotyphodium coenophialum. (7/34)

A relatively simple and inexpensive thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) method is described for the detection and semiquantitative measurement of ergovaline in leaf sheaths of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Samples were finely ground and extracted with methanol. The extracts were filtered and the methanol was evaporated. The aqueous residue was extracted with hexane, followed by chloroform at pH 9. The chloroform extract was concentrated and further purified on a preparative silica gel TLC plate, developed with toluene/ethyl acetate/acetonitrile (50:10:40). The ergovaline band was scraped and eluted with methanol. The eluant was concentrated and an aliquot was applied to a silica gel TLC plate. The plate was developed successively with chloroform/acetone/acetic acid (90:10:5) and chloroform/ethanol (9:1). Ergovaline was visualized with p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde and sulfuric acid. Semiquantitation of ergovaline was achieved by comparison with a known standard of ergotamine, which was shown to have the same Rf as ergovaline in this system. Spike recovery of ergotamine averaged 60%, with a limit of detection of 200 microg/kg of dry tall fescue leaf sheaths. The method was applied to 15 tall fescue samples with varying degrees of fungal infection, and ergovaline was identified in all contaminated samples with endophyte infection above 15%. Thin-layer chromatography may be also applicable for tall fescue seed, where the ergovaline content is usually higher and the amount of interfering pigments is much lower.  (+info)

Ergotism associated with HIV antiviral protease inhibitor therapy. (8/34)

Ergotism is a rare condition of acute vasospasm found classically in young and middle-aged women taking ergot alkaloid agents to treat migraine headache. We report the case of a young man with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positivity and describe the drug interaction between protease inhibitors and ergot alkaloid agents, which most likely predisposed to development of ergot toxicity. The HIV-positive population receiving antiviral therapy may be an under-recognized group at risk for ergotism through decreased hepatic metabolism of ergot preparations.  (+info)

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