Abstract
During the last decades a number of epidemiological and laboratory investigations, have shown a close association between hepatitis B virus, chronic infection and aflatoxin dietary exposure with an increase of hepatocellular carcinoma incidence. We developed an immunoenzymatic method for urine aflatoxin B1 detection, that was assessed at the Cuban National Institute of Oncology. From the paediatric service of the Cuban National Institute of Gastroenterology, 87 children (age range 3-16 years) were studied. Of 50 patients with active hepatitis B chronic infection, 42% tested positive for aflatoxin B1; 30 patients were HBSAg-positive carriers, and 30% had this aflatoxin in the urine; and seven patients with cirrhosis plus HBSAg, B1 aflatoxin were detected in 28.5%. The 7.3% of the controls, matched by age, had a urine test positive for aflatoxin B1. The immunoenzymatic test, proved to be specific for aflatoxin detection with a sensitivity of 100 picograms/milliliter. Our results showed that in this series of pediatric patients, there was a strong relation between hepatitis B virus infection and the urine detection of aflatoxin compared with the control subjects. This finding could be used for preventive measures in population at risk for developing hepatocellular carcinoma.
Translated title of the contribution | The value of the determination of aflatoxin in the urine of children with liver disease from hepatitis B virus |
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Original language | Spanish |
Pages (from-to) | 186-189 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Revista del Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia |
Volume | 40 |
Issue number | 4 |
State | Published - 1994 |
Externally published | Yes |