Aflatoxin exposure and viral hepatitis in the etiology of liver cirrhosis in the Gambia, West Africa.
BACKGROUND
Cirrhosis of the liver is thought to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, but few controlled studies on the etiology of cirrhosis have been conducted in this region.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to elucidate the association between environmental and infectious exposures and cirrhosis in The Gambia.


METHODS
Ninety-seven individuals were diagnosed with cirrhosis using a validated ultrasound scoring system and were compared with 397 controls. Participants reported demographic and food frequency information. Blood samples were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody, HCV RNA, and the aflatoxin-associated 249(ser) TP53 mutation.


RESULTS
HBsAg seropositivity was associated with a significant increase in risk of cirrhosis [odds ratio (OR) = 8.0; 95% confidence interval (CI), 4.4-14.7] as was the presence of HBeAg (OR = 10.3; 95% CI, 2.0-53.9) and HCV infection (OR = 3.3; 95% CI, 1.2-9.5). We present novel data that exposure to aflatoxin, as assessed both by high lifetime groundnut (peanut) intake and by the presence of the 249(ser) TP53 mutation in plasma, is associated with a significant increase in the risk for cirrhosis (OR = 2.8; 95% CI, 1.1-7.7 and OR = 3.8; 95% CI, 1.5-9.6, respectively). Additionally, aflatoxin and hepatitis B virus exposure appeared to interact synergistically to substantially increase the risk of cirrhosis, although this was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the spectrum of morbidity associated with aflatoxin exposure could include cirrhosis.
Kuniholm
Mark H
MH
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Lesi
Olufunmilayo A
OA
Mendy
Maimuna
M
Akano
Aliu O
AO
Sam
Omar
O
Hall
Andrew J
AJ
Whittle
Hilton
H
Bah
Ebrima
E
Goedert
James J
JJ
Hainaut
Pierre
P
Kirk
Gregory D
GD
D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male
D000348:Aflatoxins