H. Ahmed et al., NEONATAL JAUNDICE WITH REFERENCE TO AFLATOXINS - AN ETIOLOGIC STUDY IN ZARIA, NORTHERN NIGERIA, Annals of tropical paediatrics, 15(1), 1995, pp. 11-20
Two prospective studies were undertaken to determine a possible relati
onship between perinatal aflatoxin exposure and neonatal jaundice. Fir
st, cord blood samples from 37 neonates who subsequently developed jau
ndice and from 40 non-jaundiced (control) babies were analysed for six
major aflatoxins and aflatoxicol. Peripheral blood samples of both gr
oups were also analysed postnatally for aflatoxins. In a second study,
serum aflatoxin levels of 64 jaundiced neonates admitted from outside
the hospital were compared with levels in 60 non-jaundiced control ba
bies. Aflatoxins were detected in 14 (37.8%) cord blood samples of jau
ndiced neonates and in nine (22.5%) of the controls. The mean cord afl
atoxin concentration was highest in jaundiced neonates with septicaemi
a, but the difference was not statistically significant. The frequency
of detection of aflatoxins in peripheral blood was not significantly
different in jaundiced and non-jaundiced babies. Aflatoxins were detec
ted in the blood of over 50% of neonates with jaundice of 'unknown' ae
tiology. There was no correlation between severity of hyperbilirubinae
mia and serum aflatoxin levels. Further studies are needed to determin
e the extent of pre- and postnatal exposure to aflatoxin in Nigerian i
nfants and the effects of such exposure on fetal and neonatal health.