In the decade following 1970 it became clear that mycotoxins have been the cause of human illness and death as well, and are still causing it. Each of these diseases is now known to have been caused by growth of specific moulds which produced one or more potent toxins, usually in one specific kind of commodity or feed. It is important to distinguish between the effects of bacterial toxins and mycotoxins. The classic bacterial toxins are proteins, which produce characteristic symptoms in only a few hours, as the human body recognises them, and produces antibody mediated reactions to them. Fungal toxins on the other hand, are almost all low molecular weight chemical compounds which are not detected by antigens, and hence produce no obvious symptoms.
Mycotoxins are insidious poisons.
Mycotoxins can be acutely or chronically toxic, or both, depending on the kind of toxin and the dose. In animals, acute diseases include liver and kidney damage, attack on the central nervous system, skin disorders and hormonal effects. Nerve toxins may cause trembling or even death. Skin disorders may be necrotic lesions or photosensitivity, while hormonal effects include abortions in cattle, swollen genitals in pigs and a variety of poorly defined disorders including vomiting in pigs, feed refusal and failure to thrive. Toxins which act on the liver and kidney are especially difficult to detect and levels much lower than those producing acute effects are often carcinogenic.