Aflatoxins cause acute and chronic health and production effects in humans and animals,respectively.This study reports on the exposure of the Kenyan population to the two mycotoxins in two counties(Nandi and Makueni)u...Aflatoxins cause acute and chronic health and production effects in humans and animals,respectively.This study reports on the exposure of the Kenyan population to the two mycotoxins in two counties(Nandi and Makueni)using children younger than 5 years as the proxy.A questionnaire was administered,which captured knowledge of the incidences of acute aflatoxin poisoning,food consumption patterns.Analysis of aflatoxin in samples of urine,breast milk,maize,sorghum,and millet was done using cELISA and HPLC.Maize and sorghum are used in the weaning formula of children.The difference in consumption of maize-and sorghum-based diets in children between younger than 1 and between 1 and 5 years was significant with P=0.037 and P=0.002,respectively,in Nandi and Makueni.In children younger than 5 years,the consumption of maize ranged from 0.1 to 0.25 kg per person per day in Nandi and Makueni with an aflatoxin exposure rate of 0.011 and 0.49μg per kg body weight(bwt)per day,respectively.The exposure to aflatoxin through milk for children younger than 5 years was 4×10^(−4) and 1×10^(−4)μg per kg bwt per day in Makueni and Nandi,respectively.The exposure of nursing children through breast milk was 6×10^(−3) and 1×10^(−6)μg per kg bwt per day in Makueni and Nandi,respectively.Children younger than 30 months in Makueni had 1.4 times higher levels of aflatoxin M1(AFM1)in urine than those of the same age in Nandi.The stunting and severe stunting rates in Makueni and Nandi were 28.7%,18.5%and 30.7%,16.5%,respectively.Thus,there is need for urgent mitigation measures,a constant surveillance program,strict regulations,and awareness creation directed at poor households to reduce dietary exposure to mycotoxins.展开更多
基金the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland for providing financial assistance that enabled this study(MFA 24819801)the communities in Nandi and Makueni for allowing us to carry out the study and Government officers in both counties for their facilitation.
文摘Aflatoxins cause acute and chronic health and production effects in humans and animals,respectively.This study reports on the exposure of the Kenyan population to the two mycotoxins in two counties(Nandi and Makueni)using children younger than 5 years as the proxy.A questionnaire was administered,which captured knowledge of the incidences of acute aflatoxin poisoning,food consumption patterns.Analysis of aflatoxin in samples of urine,breast milk,maize,sorghum,and millet was done using cELISA and HPLC.Maize and sorghum are used in the weaning formula of children.The difference in consumption of maize-and sorghum-based diets in children between younger than 1 and between 1 and 5 years was significant with P=0.037 and P=0.002,respectively,in Nandi and Makueni.In children younger than 5 years,the consumption of maize ranged from 0.1 to 0.25 kg per person per day in Nandi and Makueni with an aflatoxin exposure rate of 0.011 and 0.49μg per kg body weight(bwt)per day,respectively.The exposure to aflatoxin through milk for children younger than 5 years was 4×10^(−4) and 1×10^(−4)μg per kg bwt per day in Makueni and Nandi,respectively.The exposure of nursing children through breast milk was 6×10^(−3) and 1×10^(−6)μg per kg bwt per day in Makueni and Nandi,respectively.Children younger than 30 months in Makueni had 1.4 times higher levels of aflatoxin M1(AFM1)in urine than those of the same age in Nandi.The stunting and severe stunting rates in Makueni and Nandi were 28.7%,18.5%and 30.7%,16.5%,respectively.Thus,there is need for urgent mitigation measures,a constant surveillance program,strict regulations,and awareness creation directed at poor households to reduce dietary exposure to mycotoxins.
