Elabed Shahd, Khaled Raghad, Farhat Nada, Madkour Mohamed, Mohammad Zadeh Shima A, Shousha Tamer, Taneera Jalal, Semerjian Lucy, Abass Khaled
Environmental Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, UAE.
Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, UAE.
Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2025 Mar;114:104644. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2025.104644. Epub 2025 Jan 25.
Aflatoxins, known for their carcinoginc properties and produced by Aspergillus fungi, pose a substantial threat to public health, particularly in regions with hot and humid climates, where individuals are exposed to these toxins through contaminated food. The primary objective of this study was to assess the extent of aflatoxin exposure in the Emirate of Sharjah employing Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) as a biomarker in urine samples from adult participants. Furthermore, this study aimed to explore the relationship between dietary habits and AFM1 levels in order to establish a potential link.
In a cross-sectional study design, a total of 144 adults (73 females and 71 males) were recruited for participation. The urine samples obtained from participants were subjected to analysis for AFM1 concentrations utilizing the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Additionally, structured questionnaires were administered to collect information on the dietary and lifestyle habits of the participants. To explore the relationship between dietary factors and AFM1 levels, various statistical analyses, including linear regression and the Mann-Whitney U test, were performed.
AFM1 was detected in 69 % of the samples under invstigation, wherein males exhibited a higher mean level (0.912 ng/mg creatinine) in comparison to females (0.676 ng/mg creatinine). The overall mean concentration of AFM1 was determined to be 0.792 ng/mg creatinine. It is worth noting that there was a significant correlation between rice consumption and heightened AFM1 exposure among males, while no such correlation was observed among females.
This study conducted in the UAE provides novel perspectives on aflatoxin exposure, shedding light on the gender-specific correlation between rice consumption and aflatoxin levels among males. These findings hold significant implications for guiding public health interventions and underscore the pivotal role of ongoing surveillance and stringent food safety regulations in mitigating the hazards associated with aflatoxin contamination.
黄曲霉毒素由曲霉菌产生，以其致癌特性而闻名，对公众健康构成重大威胁，特别是在炎热潮湿气候的地区，人们通过受污染的食物接触这些毒素。本研究的主要目的是利用黄曲霉毒素M1（AFM1）作为成年参与者尿液样本中的生物标志物，评估沙迦酋长国黄曲霉毒素暴露的程度。此外，本研究旨在探讨饮食习惯与AFM1水平之间的关系，以建立潜在联系。
在一项横断面研究设计中，共招募了144名成年人（73名女性和71名男性）参与。利用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）方法对参与者的尿液样本进行AFM1浓度分析。此外，还发放了结构化问卷以收集参与者的饮食和生活方式习惯信息。为了探讨饮食因素与AFM1水平之间的关系，进行了各种统计分析，包括线性回归和曼-惠特尼U检验。
在69%的受调查样本中检测到了AFM1，其中男性的平均水平（0.912 ng/mg肌酐）高于女性（0.676 ng/mg肌酐）。AFM1的总体平均浓度确定为0.792 ng/mg肌酐。值得注意的是，男性中大米消费与AFM1暴露增加之间存在显著相关性，而女性中未观察到这种相关性。
在阿联酋进行的这项研究为黄曲霉毒素暴露提供了新的视角，揭示了男性中大米消费与黄曲霉毒素水平之间的性别特异性相关性。这些发现对指导公共卫生干预具有重要意义，并强调了持续监测和严格食品安全法规在减轻黄曲霉毒素污染相关危害方面的关键作用。
