Fusarium moniliforme has been found in corn kernels grown where there is good nutrition and water. The mold spores can infect developing ears of corn or harvested crop in storage. Fumonisin ingestion affects different animals in different ways. Humans, horses, cattle, swine, poultry, mice, rats and rabbits have been found to be affected by fumonisin. Research is being conducted to determine whether other animals may be affected and in determining risk levels in all species.
Horses are extremely sensitive to fumonisin.
Affected horses display symptoms such as blindness, head butting and pressing, constant circling and ataxia, followed by death. In swine, fumonisin attacks the cardiopulmonary system, causing pulmonary edema and liver and pancreatic lesions. Fumonisins have been linked to cancer in humans. Fumonisin can occur in any geographic location where corn is grown. It is considered to be prevalent in corn.