title: Characterisation of aflatoxin and deoxynivalenol exposure among pregnant Egyptian women.
abstract: Mycotoxins such as the aflatoxins and deoxynivalenol (DON) are frequent contaminants of food. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and DON affect the immune system and restrict growth; additionally AFB1 is carcinogenic. To date there are limited descriptive biomarker data concerning maternal exposures during pregnancy, and none on co-exposures to these mycotoxins. This survey was a cross-sectional assessment providing descriptive data on the concentrations of serum aflatoxin-albumin (AF-alb), urinary aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), and urinary DON for 98 pregnant women from Egypt, in relation to diet and socioeconomic status, during the third trimester. AF-alb was detected in 34 of 98 (35%) samples, geometric mean (GM) of positives = 4.9 pg AF-lys mg(-1) albumin (95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.1-5.8 pg mg(-1)), and AFM1 in 44 of 93 (48%) samples, GM of positives = 19.7 pg mg(-1) creatinine (95%CI = 14.8-26.3 pg mg(-1)). AF-alb and AFM1 levels were positively correlated (R = 0.276, p = 0.007). DON was detected in 63 of 93 (68%), GM of positives = 2.8 ng mg(-1) (95%CI = 2.1-3.6 ng mg(-1)). Aflatoxin and DON biomarkers were observed in 41% of the subjects concurrently. The frequency and level of these biomarkers in Egyptian women were modest compared with known high-risk countries. However, this study represents the first biomarker survey to report on the occurrence of DON biomarkers in an African population, in addition to the co-occurrence of these two potent mycotoxins. This combined exposure may be of particular concern during pregnancy given the potential of toxin transfer to the foetus.
authors.affiliation: Food and Health Research Centre, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piekkola
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdel-Hamid
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ezzat
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Daly
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El-Kafrawy
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Savchenko
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poussa
authors.forename: J C S
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mykkänen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: El-Nezami
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000652:urine*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004534:Egypt; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D011247:Pregnancy; D014255:Trichothecenes / Q000652:urine*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014255:Trichothecenes; D016604:Aflatoxin B1; C007262:deoxynivalenol