title: Dietary exposure to aflatoxin and micronutrient status among young children from Guinea.
abstract: METHODS
  Aflatoxin exposure coincides with micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. Animal feeding studies have postulated that aflatoxin exposure may be exacerbating micronutrient deficiencies. Evidence available in human subjects is limited and inconsistent. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between aflatoxin exposure and micronutrient status among young Guinean children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 305 children (28.8 ± 8.4 months) were recruited at groundnut harvest (rainy season), of which 288 were followed up 6 months later postharvest (dry season). Blood samples were collected at each visit. Aflatoxin-albumin adduct levels were measured by ELISA. Vitamin A, vitamin E and β-carotene concentrations were measured using HPLC methods. Zinc was measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Aflatoxin exposure and micronutrient deficiencies were prevalent in this population and were influenced by season, with levels increasing between harvest and postharvest. At harvest, children in the highest aflatoxin exposure group, compared to the lowest, were 1.98 (95%CI: 1.00, 3.92) and 3.56 (95%CI: 1.13, 11.15) times more likely to be zinc and vitamin A deficient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although children with high aflatoxin exposure levels were more likely to be zinc and vitamin A deficient, further research is necessary to determine a cause and effect relationship.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Sinead
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Gaoyun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur de Guinée, Kindia, Republic of Guinea.
authors.forename: Abdoulaye
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sylla
authors.affiliation: Divison of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Michael N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Routledge
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.|Divison of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Yun Yun
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D000418:Albumins; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D016701:Guinea; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood*; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000187:drug effects*; D012621:Seasons; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000097:blood; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D000418:Albumins; D018977:Micronutrients; C098408:aflatoxin-albumin adduct; D019207:beta Carotene; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Aflatoxin; Biomarker; Children; Micronutrient deficiency; Seasonal variations