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Figure: A tobacco plant suffering from Fusarium wilt. Image Source: Wikipedia (R.J. Reynolds)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n- It is caused by Fusarium<\/em>\u00a0oxysporum\u00a0<\/em>as the only pathogenic group of Fusarium known to grow inside the plant vessels and spreads upwards inside the plant.<\/li>\n
- It is a saprophytic fungus that can survive in soil between crop cycles in infected plant debris.<\/li>\n
- Survival morphologies can be in the mycelial form or in spore forms.<\/li>\n
- The fungus infects the root tips directly or through damaged tissues allowing mycelial growth into the root cortex into the xylem and later affecting the whole vascular tissue.<\/li>\n
- This causes a reduction of water and nutrient intake leading to leaf wilting and plant death.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/span>Human pathologies of Fusarium<\/em> species<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n- Fusarium species<\/em> cause superficial, locally invasive, and diffuse infections in humans.<\/li>\n
- Localized infection includes septic arthritis, endophthalmitis, osteomyelitis, cystitis, and brain abscess.<\/li>\n
- Invasive infections are as a result of surgery and oral antifungal therapy.<\/li>\n
- Disseminated infection occurs when two or more noncontiguous sites are involved.<\/li>\n
- The infections are opportunistic and they are majorly caused by F. solani<\/em> complex including F. solani<\/em>,\u00a0F. oxysporum<\/em>,\u00a0F. verticillioides,<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0F. proliferatum, <\/em>F. moniliforme\u00a0and\u00a0F. fujikuroi\u00a0species <\/em>complex.<\/li>\n
- They cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients.<\/li>\n
- The elderly and diabetics with prevalent meningospondylodiscitis are opportunistically infected by F. oxysporum<\/em>.\u00a0F. sacchari<\/em>,\u00a0F. anthophilum<\/em>,\u00a0F. chlamydosporum,<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0F. dimerum.<\/em><\/li>\n
- A perinephric abscess caused by F. chlamydosporum\u00a0<\/em>is common in children who have been reported before.<\/li>\n
- Corneal infections (endophthalmitis) caused by Fusarium oxysporum<\/em> and Fusarium solani<\/em> also occur because of the adherence of the Fungi to the corneal membrane causing eye damage.<\/li>\n
- Some\u00a0Fusarium<\/em>\u00a0species, such as\u00a0F. dimerum<\/em>, are associated with keratomycosis, particularly in the bad hygiene conditions.<\/li>\n
- Mycotoxicosis caused by Fusarium species is common in the ingestion of the mycotoxins produced by the fungi.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/span>Fusarium<\/em> infection in animals<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n- Fusarium<\/em> spp can cause Fusarium<\/em> infections in animals including mycotoxicosis which affects the growth, reproduction, and hormonal condition of the animal.<\/li>\n
- The effect of these mycotoxins on animals depends on the quantity of mycotoxin intake. After intake, these mycotoxins arrive at the gastrointestinal epithelial cell layer. In high doses, the mycotoxins cause abdominal distress, diarrhea, cardiac insufficiency, emesis, and even death in pigs and equine leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM) in horses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/span>Identification and diagnosis of Fusarium<\/em> species<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n