Review article

Effect of aflatoxins on human health

Maja Peraica ; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb
Dubravka Rašić ; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb
Valentina Gluščić ; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb

Abstract

Aflatoxins are a group of mould toxins that can severely damage human health, particularly the liver. In several outbreaks in tropical regions, aflatoxins caused acute liver failure with high mortality. In these regions humans are continuously exposed to high levels of aflatoxins which, together with the infections with viral hepatitis B and C, results in the much more frequent primary liver carcinoma than in other regions. It is not clear what is the effect of low levels of aflatoxins that are found in food from regions with moderate climate. However, according to the experiments on laboratory animals, it is possible that such exposure is not negligible because humans are also simultaneously exposed to other mycotoxins that may potentiate their toxic and carcinogenic effects.

Keywords

aflatoxicosis; aflatoxin B1; aflatoxin M1; hepatocellular carcinoma

Hrčak ID:

169282

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/169282

Publication date:

1.6.2014.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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