stachybotryotoxicosis

A type of mycotoxicosis seen in horses and cattle following ingestion of hay and fodder overgrown by the fungus Stachybotrys atra; may also occur in humans exposed to hay either by inhalation or by absorbing the toxin through the skin, and is manifested by skin rash, pharyngitis, and mild leukopenia.

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stachy·bot·ryo·tox·i·co·sis .stak-i-.bä-trē-ō-.täk-sə-'kō-səs n, pl -co·ses -.sēz a serious and sometimes fatal intoxication chiefly affecting domestic animals (as horses) that is due to ingestion of a toxic substance elaborated by a mold (Stachybotrys alternans)

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stachy·bot·ry·o·tox·i·co·sis (stak″e-bot″re-o-tok″sĭ-koґsis) mycotoxicosis in livestock caused either by eating contaminated feed or by sleeping on contaminated bedding containing fungi of the genera Stachybotrys or Myrothecium, especially S. alternans, or M. verrucaria, which contain roridins, satrotoxins, and verrucarins. It has been seen in France, southeastern Europe, Brazil, and Russia. Initial symptoms include fever, diarrhea, and incoordination; continued exposure can lead to hemorrhaging in various organs, sometimes followed by coma and death. Humans working in contaminated areas have occasionally also been affected.