TOXIC RESPONSES TO AFLATOXINS IN A DEVELOPING HOST

Aflatoxins, the carcinogenic fungal toxins produced by Aspergillus fla vus group of fungi are exposed to us through food, air and variety of other routes. A developing host is at exposure risk to aflatoxins at v arious stages. The most important and least dealt with route of exposu re is the in utero exposure of metabolized or unmetabolized aflatoxins during pregnancy. The in utero exposure may lead to severe teratologi cal damages and malfunctioning of various physiological processes. The next stage of aflatoxin exposure to a developing host is through moth er's milk. Aflatoxins have been detected in breast milk samples collec ted from countries of high aflatoxin incidence. The occurrence of afla toxins has also been reported in market liquid and powder milk samples aften used for baby feeding. Since a developing baby is fed on milk i n early stages of development, the possible health hazard of aflatoxin as a result of chronic exposure can not be ruled out. Aflatoxins have shown their teratogenic responses in various animal species. They hav e also been reported to exhibit their transplacental carcinogenicity. The impairment of immune functions as a result of aflatoxin exposure t o a developing host may enhance its susceptibility to infections and d evelopment of malignancies. Aflatoxins are also incriminated in some c hildhood diseases like Indian childhood cirrhosis and kwashiorkor. It is concluded that extensive research has to be done to elucidate effec ts of aflatoxins on developing nervous system and its interrelationshi p with immune functions. Studies should also be conducted in malnouris hed host in order to extrapolate the findings in tropics where concurr ent occurrence of aflatoxins and malnourishment is very prevalent.