Mycotoxicoses in animals caused by secondary metabolites of molds

It is estimated that at least 25% of grain and other cereals are today contaminated with known mycotoxins, while a large number of them are probably contaminated with as yet unidentified mycotoxins. Mycotoxins produce mold mycea, and it is believed that over 220 species have this characteristic. A large number of different mycotoxins has been identified so far, of which only a small number are of medicinal, nutritive and economic significance (aflatoxins, ochratoxins, trichotecenes, zearalenon). The listed mycotoxins present secondary metabolites, primarily the species Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillinum. Mycotoxicoses pose a nutritive-medical, but also a diagnostic problem, because certain mycotoxins cause changes in a number of organs. Diseases caused by mycotoxins are not contagious, they are connected with food and/or specific feed, they are similar to avitaminoses, they are not treated with antibiotics or other medicines, and they do not cause an immunological response in the organism because they are of small molecular mass so that animals are permanently protected from their effects. The content of mycotoxins in food and/or feed in practical conditions more often causes the appearance of chronic mycotoxicoses, and the effects of smaller quantities over a longer time period are the same as of bigger quantities over a short period. The early or timely establishment of the presence of mycotoxins in food and the subsequent elimination of the contaminated food from use can aleviate the negative effects, but a certain time period is required for the elimination of the resorbed quantities of mycotoxins and the disappearance of the harmful effect. That is why constant and multilevel monitoring of sanitary hygiene of feed must be practiced in production conditions in order to secure a swift and efficient reaction, as currently the only manner for the successful prevention of the harmful effects of mycotoxins.