Aflatoxins are naturally occurring mycotoxins that are produced by many species of Aspergillus, a fungus, most notably Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxins are toxic and carcinogenic to animals, including humans. After entering the body, aflatoxins are metabolized by the liver to an intermediate reactive, aflatoxin M1, an epoxide. Aflatoxin - Contamination Conditions. Aspergillus is common and widespread in nature and are most often found when cro ...

Including:

• Aflatoxin - Contamination Conditions
• Aflatoxin - Pathology
• Aflatoxin - Detection of Aflatoxin in Humans
• Aflatoxin - Major types of Aflatoxins and its metabolite
• Aflatoxin - Interaction of Aflatoxin with Hepatitis B Virus

Read more here: » Aflatoxin: Encyclopedia - Aflatoxin

There are two techniques that have been used most often to detect levels of aflatoxin in humans. The first method is measuring the AFM1-guanine adduct in the urine of subjects. Presence of this breakdown product indicates exposure to aflatoxin in the past 24 hours. However, this technique has a significant flaw in that it only produces a positive result in approximately one-third of positive test subjects. Additionally, due to the half-life of this metabolite, the level of AFM1-guanine measured can vary significantly from day to day, based on ...

See also:

Aflatoxin, Aflatoxin - Contamination Conditions, Aflatoxin - Pathology, Aflatoxin - Detection of Aflatoxin in Humans, Aflatoxin - Major types of Aflatoxins and its metabolite, Aflatoxin - Interaction of Aflatoxin with Hepatitis B Virus

Read more here: » Aflatoxin: Encyclopedia II - Aflatoxin - Detection of Aflatoxin in Humans

Aspergillus is common and widespread in nature and are most often found when crops are exposed to a high humidity environment over a long period of time or are damaged in stressful conditions such as drought, a condition which lowers the barrier to entry. The native habitat of Aspergillus is in soil, decaying vegetation, hay, and grains undergoing microbiological deterioration and it invades all types of organic substrates whenever and wherever the conditions are favorable for its growth. Favorable conditions include hig ...

See also:

Aflatoxin, Aflatoxin - Contamination Conditions, Aflatoxin - Pathology, Aflatoxin - Detection of Aflatoxin in Humans, Aflatoxin - Major types of Aflatoxins and its metabolite, Aflatoxin - Interaction of Aflatoxin with Hepatitis B Virus

Read more here: » Aflatoxin: Encyclopedia II - Aflatoxin - Contamination Conditions

High-level aflatoxin exposure produces an acute necrosis, cirrhosis, and carcinoma of the liver exhibited by hemorrhage, acute liver damage, edema, alteration in digestion, and absorption and/or metabolism of nutrients. No animal species is immune to the acute toxic effects of aflatoxins including humans; however, humans have an extraordinarily high tolerance for aflatoxin exposure and rarely succumb to acute aflatoxicosis. Chronic, subclinical exposure does not lead to as dramatic of symptoms as acute aflatoxicosis. Children, ...

See also:

Aflatoxin, Aflatoxin - Contamination Conditions, Aflatoxin - Pathology, Aflatoxin - Detection of Aflatoxin in Humans, Aflatoxin - Major types of Aflatoxins and its metabolite, Aflatoxin - Interaction of Aflatoxin with Hepatitis B Virus

Read more here: » Aflatoxin: Encyclopedia II - Aflatoxin - Pathology

Studies have shown that concurrent infection with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) during aflatoxin exposure increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As HBV interferes with the ability of hepatocytes to metabolize aflatoxins, an aflatoxin M1-DNA conjugate exists for a longer period of time in the liver, increasing the probability of damage to oncogenes such as p53. This effect is synergistic with the resulting damage far ...

See also:

Aflatoxin, Aflatoxin - Contamination Conditions, Aflatoxin - Pathology, Aflatoxin - Detection of Aflatoxin in Humans, Aflatoxin - Major types of Aflatoxins and its metabolite, Aflatoxin - Interaction of Aflatoxin with Hepatitis B Virus

Read more here: » Aflatoxin: Encyclopedia II - Aflatoxin - Interaction of Aflatoxin with Hepatitis B Virus