IMPACT OF MYCOTOXINS ON HUMAN AND ANIMAL IMPACT OF MYCOTOXINS ON HUMAN AND ANIMAL

HEALTHHEALTH

Assoc Prof E. Tzika, DVM, PhD, Dipl ECPHM

Lect. PD Tassis, DVM, PhD

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Farm Animals Clinic

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

2nd FOODSEG Symposium

Bucharest, 14-15 June 2013

� The main human and veterinary health burden of mycotoxin

exposure is related to chronic exposure

(e.g., cancer induction, kidney toxicity, immune suppression)

� However, the best-known mycotoxin episodes are

manifestations of acute effects

(e.g., turkey X syndrome, human ergotism, stachybotryotoxicosis)

“Mycotoxins and human disease: a largely ignored global health issue. Carcinogenesis

vol.31 no.1 pp.71–82, 2010. C.P. Wild and Y.Y. Gong”

More than 1000 mycotoxins have been describedMore than 1000 mycotoxins have been describedMore than 1000 mycotoxins have been described

Chemical structure and toxic properties of mycotoxins are conserChemical structure and toxic properties of mycotoxins are conserved ved

during both storage and processing/cooking of food or feedduring both storage and processing/cooking of food or feed

Kuiper-Goodman (1998) ranks mycotoxins as the

most important chronic dietary risk factor,

higher than synthetic contaminants, plant toxins, food additives, or pesticide residues

MAJOR MYCOTOXINS

Factors affecting mycotoxin occurrence

in the food and feed chain (Pestka and

Casale 1989)

Factors causing variation in effects

�� Species, breedSpecies, breed

�� AgeAge

�� SexSex

�� Nutritional statusNutritional status

�� Other diseasesOther diseases

�� Other mycotoxinsOther mycotoxins

�� Extent of exposureExtent of exposure

Mycotoxins

Aflatoxin disease pathways in humans (Adopted from Wu, 2010; Wu,Aflatoxin disease pathways in humans (Adopted from Wu, 2010; Wu, 2011)2011)

Ergot = the common name of the sclerotia of fungal species (Claviceps spp.),

which produce ergot alkaloids

Ergot alkaloids are derivatives of lysergic or isolysergic acid or

dimethylergoline (+ metabolites of some strains of Penicillium, Aspergilusand Rhizopus)

FUMONISINS

FUMONISINS

OCHRATOXINS

Of the Aspergillus toxins, only ochratoxin is potentially as important as

the aflatoxins.

Kidney= primary target organ

OCHRATOXINS

• The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the Food

and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the

World Health Organization (JECFA2001) presented data

indicating that the major sources of human ochratoxin

exposure are:

-cereals (58% of total intake - levels range 100-700 ng/kg in

cereals),

-wine (21% of total intake, 30 to 9000 ng/L in European wines)

-grapejuice (7% of total intake),

-coffee (5% of total intake, 170 to 1300 ng/kg in coffee)

-pork (3% of total intake, 150 to 2900 ng/kg)

European red wines typically contain higher ochratoxin

levels than rose or white wines

A family of > 60 sesquiterpenoid metabolites

(Type A: T-2 toxin etc, Type B: DON etc)

TRICHOTHECENES

ZEARALENONE (ZEN)

A nonsteroidal estrogen or mycoestrogen or a phytoestrogen

hyperestrogenic syndrome

hyperestrogenic syndrome

• According to the International Agency for

Research on Cancer:

- Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorum, and F. crookwellense,

and toxins derived from (ZEN, DON, nivalenol, and

fusarenone X), as well as Fusarium sporotrichioides, and

toxins derived from (T-2 toxin) have been classified in

group 3 (Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans)

• The most common genera of indoor molds are Alternaria,

Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium

• The most prevalent symptoms are irritation of the eyes and

respiratory tract, + other vague complaints (headache and

fatigue, skin irritation, nonspecific hypersensitive reaction,

and peculiar odor and taste sensations) have also been

reported

• Sick-building syndrome is often associated with the

presence of toxic molds, especially Stachybotrys.

Indoor Air Quality and Sick-Building Syndrome

Mycotoxins can be used as chemical

warfare agents (Bioterrorism)!!

Mycotoxins can be used as chemical warfare agentsMycotoxins can be used as chemical warfare agents

(Bioterrorism)!!(Bioterrorism)!!

� Stachybotryotoxicosis = First described as an equine disease of high mortality

associated with moldy straw and hay

� Human stachybotryotoxicosis =Rare occupational disease limited largely to farm

workers who handle moldy hay

� Stachybotrys grows well on all sorts of wet building materials with high cellulose

content���� It has been associated with pulmonary bleeding in infants

Stachybotrys chartarum was implicated in the outbreak of

eight cases of idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage among

infants in Cleveland, Ohio. Although toxic mold was found in

the homes of the children with pulmonary bleeding, a cause-

and-effect relationship has been difficult to prove.

The Committee on Public Health of the American Academy of

Pediatrics issued a statement on the toxic effects of indoor

molds, alerting pediatricians to the possibility that idiopathic

pulmonary hemorrhage may be associated with molds

Future challenges I

Future challenges II

Other sources of information

• The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology

(www.cast-science.org),

• The Mycotoxicology Newsletter (www.mycotoxicology.org),

• The Society for Mycotoxin Research (www.mycotoxin.de),

• The American Oil Chemists Society Technical Committee on

Mycotoxins (www.aocs.org),

• The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

(www.fao.org),

• The International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry

Section on Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins (www.iupac.org),

• The Japanese Association of Mycotoxicology (www.chujo-

u.ac.jp/myco/index.html),

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Committee on

Additives and Contaminants (www.fda.gov).

• The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

• And many many more…

ReferencesReferences

• W. Bennett and M. Klich 2003 Mycotoxins, Clin. Microbiol. Rev. J.

• Krishnamachari, K. A. V. R., R. V. Bhat, V. Nagarajan, and T. M. G. Tilnak. 1975. Hepatitis due to

aflatoxicosis. An outbreak in Western India. Lancet i:1061–1063

• Godfrey S. Bbosa, David Kitya, A. Lubega, Jasper Ogwal-Okeng, William W. Anokbonggo and David B.

Kyegombe (2013). Review of the Biological and Health Effects of Aflatoxins on Body Organs and Body

Systems, Aflatoxins - Recent Advances and Future Prospects, Prof. Mehdi Razzaghi-Abyaneh (Ed.), ISBN:

978-953-51-0904-4, InTech, DOI: 10.5772/51201. Available from:

http://www.intechopen.com/books/aflatoxins-recent-advances-and-future-prospects/review-of-the-

biological-and-health-effects-of-aflatoxins-on-body-organs-and-body-systems

• F. Wu, P. Khlangwiset, 2010 Health economic impacts and cost-effectiveness of aflatoxin reduction

strategies in Africa: Case studies in biocontrol and postharvest interventions. Food Additives &

Contaminants 27 496 509

• Marasas, W.F.O., Riley, R.T., Hendricks, K.A., Stevens, V.L., Sadler, T.W., Gelineau-van Waes, J.,

Missmer, S.A., Cabrera, J., Torres, O., Gelderblom, W.C.A., Allegood, J., Martinez, C., Maddox, J., Miller,

J.D., Starr, L., Sullards, M.C., Roman, A., Voss, K.A., Wang, E., Merrill, A.H., 2004. Fumonisins disrupt

sphingolipid metabolism, folate transport, and neural tube development in embryo culture and in vivo:

a potential risk factor for human neural tube defects among populations consuming fumonisin

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ReferencesReferences

• American Academy of Pediatrics. 1998. Toxic effects of indoor molds. Pediatrics 101:712–714.

• Kuiper-Goodman, T. 1998. Food safety: mycotoxins and phycotoxins in perspective, p. 25–48. In M.

Miraglia, H. van Edmond, C. Brera, and J. Gilbert (ed.), Mycotoxins and phycotoxins—developments in

chemistry, toxicology and food safety. Alaken Inc., Fort Collins, Colo.

• Rutqvist, L., N.-E. Bjorklund, K. Hult, E. Hockby, and B. Carlsson. 1978. Ochratoxin A as the cause of

spontaneous nephropathy in fattening pigs. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 36:920–925

• Van Egmond, H. P. 1989. Aflatoxin M 1: occurrence, toxicity, regulation, p 11–55. In H. P. Van Egmond

(ed.), Mycotoxins in dairy products. Elsevier Applied Science, London.

• Isabelle P. Oswald. Animal Health, Nutrition and Mycotoxins. Mycotoxin Symposium :From seed to

Feed, December 11, Quebec, Canada

• Joseph H. Brewer , Jack D. Thrasher , David C. Straus , Roberta A. Madison , Dennis Hooper. Detection of

Mycotoxins in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Toxins 2013, 5, 605-617

• Täubel, M.; Sulyok, M.; Vishwanath, V.; Bloom, E.; Turunen, M.; Järvi, K.; Kauhanen, E.; Krska, R.;

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metabolites in moisture-damaged indoor environments. Indoor Air 2011.

• Peraica M., Radic B., Lucic A., Pavlovic M. Toxic effects of mycotoxins in humans. Bulletin of the World

Health Organization 1999, pp. 754-766

• Shibamoto T., Bjeldanes L.F. Introduction to Food Toxicology, 2nd Edition. Academic Press 2009 p.173

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Thank you for your attention!

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