Incidence and Outbreaks of Aflatoxin

Incidence and Outbreaks of Aflatoxin
The incidence of chronic aflatoxicosis in humans is unknown and is almost impossible to estimate because the symptoms are so difficult to recognize.

However, human liver cancer is quite common in parts of the world where aflatoxin contamination of foods is likely and there may be a link.

Acute human aflatoxicosis is rare, especially developed countries, where contamination levels in food and monitored and controlled.

However, there have been outbreaks in some developing countries, notably in sub-Saharan Africa, where maize and groundnuts can be an important part of the diet and here the climate is suitable for rapid mould growth on crops in the field and in storage.

A notable outbreak occurred in India in 1974 when almost 400 people became ill with fever and jaundice after eating maize contaminated with between 0.25 and 15 mg/kg aflatoxin and more than 100 died.

It was traced to maize heavily contaminated with Aspergillus flavus and containing up to 15 mg/kg of aflatoxins. Consumption of toxins by some of the affected adults was calculated to be 2-6 mg in a single day.

At least two major outbreak have also occurred in Kenya, most recently in April, 2004 when 317 people were affected and 125 died probably as a result of eating contaminated maize. This widespread aflatoxin contamination of locally grown maize, occurred during storage of the maize under damp condition.

Before that in 1981, there was also a major outbreak of aflatoxicosis in Kenya occurred in which a total of 20 people died.

Aflatoxin B1 has been demonstrated, in a variety of animal species to be the most potent lover carcinogen known.

Aflatoxin B1 has been linked to human hepatocellular carcinoma in several region of Africa and Southeast Asia.

Aflatoxin B1 has been regarded as a category 1 human carcinogen.
Incidence and Outbreaks of Aflatoxin