These mycotoxins dissolve the cell walls, and the fungus is then free to absorb the cell's contents, and enter the cell cavity, reproduce, and continue the process attacking other cells. The literature regarding human Fusarium oxysporum infections is worthy of consideration by those who would wish to use this mycotoxin, even in non-wartime applications. Human infection usually occurs as a result of inoculation of the organism through the body surface, thus causing skin infection, onychomycosis, keratitis, endophthalmitis and arthritis. Fusarium is one of the fungi that can produce micetoma. Dissemination may occur in subjects with underlying immunodeficiency Disseminated fusariosis typically occurs in neutropenic hosts and carries a high mortality rate.
Central pallor is followed by necrosis and ulceration.
Blood cultures have been positive in 59 percent of cases, including a few that seemed to be due to infected central venous catheters. Amphotericin B is the drug of choice, although it appears to be poor correlation between in vitro susceptibility and clinical response. Survival was related to the resolution of the neutropenia. Many of these mycotoxin-producing species have also been implicated in several animal diseases, including hemorrhagic, estrogenic, emetic, and feed refusal syndromes, fescue foot, degnala disease, moldy sweet potato toxicosis, bean hulls poisoning, and equine leukoencephalomalacia. The interest in toxigenic Fusarium species is increasing world-wide due to the discovery of a growing number of naturally occurring Fusarium mycotoxins that have practical importance as threats to human and animal health.