Yesterday, I got a little caught up on a little fungus called Fusarium.  I woke up today still intrigued by yesterday’s findings, and I got to wondering again…Fusarium seems to be an emerging topic.

I got to thinking about another type of fungus called Candidiasis and what happens when the yeast gets out of control…well, an infection occurs.  Candidiasis is a yeast-type fungus.  I wonder if this analogy would be true: Fusarium is to plants as Candidiasis is to humans?  If such a statement is true, the natural way to overcome a yeast infection is to introduce beneficial bacteria or probiotics while utilizing a natural anti-fungal to the area of infection.  The unnatural way is to use a fungicide, which is not unlike using a pesticide or herbicide.

Mystified about fusarium and, now, candidiasis, and with my little cogs turning, I thought, “Can an overabundance of fusarium be treated like we would a typical yeast infection?”  I wanted to make sure that yeast was a fungus, which I knew it was, but I like to check my facts.  I typed, “Is yeast a fungus?”  And not looking for a link to cancer, the third hit on the list did just that…Candida, Yeast and Fungus a Cancer – Baking Soda to Cure.  In the article, it states:

Dr. Simoncini’s research has led him to believe that something as simple as a fungus, Candida, is the leading cause of cancer, and that cancer itself is in fact a fungus.

I noted yesterday that scientists in the late 1980′s were doing tests involving fusarium and cancer…another fungus.  In one of the cited papers from yesterday’s blog post, scientists looked at a region in Africa that had higher esophageal cancer rates and found higher rates of the fusarium species and mycotoxin levels.

Fusarium is not candida, yet they are both of the fungus family.  What I can find is that fusarium and candida are being studied together as with fungal infections of the cornea.

Observations: Fungal infections of the cornea are frequently caused by species of Fusarium, Aspergillus, Curvularia, and Candida….

Conclusions: Fungal infections of the cornea continue to be an important cause of ocular morbidity, particularly in the agricultural communities of the developing world. A proper understanding of agent and host factors involved in these infections will improve the outcome of this condition.

I find it interesting that the citation above finds fungal infections of the cornea…particularly in agricultural communities of the developing world.  I’d be interested in learning more about their agricultural practices…particularly what kind of seed they use in their farming.

If I search, “Is fusarium a yeast,” a long list of fusarium and candida results pop up in relation to fungal keratitis.  Fusarium doesn’t seem to be a yeast, but candida may be a type of host for fusarium.

Fungi and bacteria work together to create a balance.  If glyphosate is creating an increases growth of fusarium in glyphosate-resistant soybeans, what kind of imbalance is being created?  Are farmers growing and spreading a harmful fungus?  Will we see higher fungus infection rates and health problems in humans?

If livestock eats crops infected with fusarium, and the infected crops are having harmful effects on livestock like spontaneous abortion and infertility, in turn as we eat the meat and drink the milk, it may have health risks to us.

Scientists at the University of Pisa, under the leadership of  Francesco Massart tested as many as 185 infant formula feeds and 44 samples of meat based baby food and found almost 28% of them contaminated with a type of fungal hormone…These fungal hormones present in formula feeds may lead to infertility later in life. Crops like corn, wheat and soy which form the base of most formula feeds are often contaminated with Fusarium, a large family of fungus. This fungus also contaminates the cattle feed. Zearalenone and other related compounds found in the samples of formula feeds are derived from Fusarium.

From another study, which has been cited 34 times in other scientific research:

Fungi of the genus Fusarium are common plant pathogens occurring worldwide, mainly associated with cereal crops. Fusarium species can produce over one hundred secondary metabolites, some of which can unfavourably affect human and animal health. The most important Fusarium mycotoxins, that can frequently occur at biologically significant concentrations in cereals, are fumonisins, zearalenone and trichothecenes (deoxynivalenol, nivalenol and T-2 toxin).  These compounds have been implicated as the causative agents in a variety of animal diseases, such as leukoencephalomalacia, pulmonary oedema, infertility, diarrhoea, vomiting, anorexia, leukopenia, immunosuppression, skin and gastrointestinal irritation, hemorraging, etc., and have been associated to some human diseases.

A paper from Perdue University Extension discussing gibberella zeae aka fusarium graminearum.

Gibberella zeae produces the mycotoxin, deoxynivalenol (DON), also known as vomitoxin…Hogs are most sensitive to DON and may refuse to consume DON-contaminated grain, which will result in poor weight gain. DON affects cattle, sheep, and poultry less.The fungus may also produce another mycotoxin, zearalenone, however this mycotoxin is not as common in wheat as DON. Zearalenone has estrogenic properties, which means it can cause infertility, abortion, or other breeding problems. As little as 1 to 5 ppm zearalenone in a feed ration may produce an estrogenic effect in swine.

And more information from Natural Balance Pet Food:

DON (Vomitoxin):
Vomotoxin is a fungus (mold) group called Fusarium, naturally present in soil and plants. When fusarium infects grain it can produce vomotoxin. This toxin causes severe gastro-intestinal disease when ingested in sufficient amounts. Vomotoxin is also known by its chemical name: deoxynivalenol (DON). Both these toxins pose health risks to humans and to our companion animals.

From Cornell University Cooperative Extension:

It was recently reported that the feeding of combinations of feedstuffs naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins altered immunity and reduced nitrogen utilization in dairy cows.  A second important Fusarium mycotoxin is zearalenone. This compound is estrogenic and can cause infertility and abortions in dairy cows. The fumonisins are another family of Fusarium mycotoxins. These compounds can cause liver damage in dairy cows and, like aflatoxin and the trichothecenes, suppress the immune system.

If the feed is contaminated, then the livestock becomes contaminated.  If the livestock is contaminated, then we become contaminated.

That is as far as I have reached today.  I’ve got more on fungus, though.  As I’m thinking about fungus, I’m wondering more about mycelium and its role (if any).

Eat well.  Grow your own food.  Know your farmer.  #occupyfood #occupygardens