NEONATAL JAUNDICE, AFLATOXINS AND NAPHTHOLS - REPORT OF A STUDY IN IBADAN, NIGERIA

This study set out to investigate the prevalence of naphthols and afla toxins in the sera of babies with neonatal jaundice and their mothers in order to determine whether they contribute to the occurrence of une xplained neonatal jaundice in Ibadan. Blood was obtained from 327 jaun diced neonates and 80 of their mothers, and 60 non-jaundiced controls and seven of their mothers admitted to hospital between April 1989 and April 1991. Blood group, bilirubin concentration, erythrocyte G6PD st atus, aflatoxin and naphthol concentrations in blood were measured. Al together, 30.9% of the jaundiced neonates were G6PD-deficient, compare d with 13.3% of controls (CHI2 = 6.88; p = 0.009). Aflatoxins were det ected in 27.4% of jaundiced neonates, 17% of their mothers, 16.6% of c ontrols and 14.4% of control mothers. Naphthols were detected in 7.2% of jaundiced babies, 6.3% of their mothers, 6.25% of control babies an d 14.4% of their mothers. Analysis of the data revealed that either G6 PD deficiency or the presence of any serum aflatoxin is a risk factor for neonatal jaundice; odds ratios were 2.97 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.31-6.74) and 2.68 (CI: 1.18-6.10), respectively. This study d emonstrates that G6PD deficiency and/or the presence of serum aflatoxi ns are risk factors for neonatal jaundice in Nigeria. Aflatoxins are a n additional risk factor not previously reported.