Mycotoxins and Disease in Egypt

Abstract

The cause of most human cancer is not known, but the preponderance of evidence implicates environmental agents. Almost all known environmental carcinogens have been shown to be mutagens, which suggests that they act as initiators of carcinogenesis. Several studies proved the association of mycotoxins and liver disease in Egypt. Mycotoxins, both known and yet to be discovered, could contnbute both as initiators and as tumor promoters. Similarly, mycotoxins could be responsible for a variety of unexplained diseases in developing countries, many of which, such as the unusually frequent incidence of kidney and liver diseases in Egypt, are poorly documented. Mycotoxins are of greater concern in developing countries, where the hot and humd conditions that favor fungal growth are frequently found, and where they often lack the capital to provide storage facilities adequate to prevent fungal growth. Foreign ad grains have additional problems not faced with locally grown grains, including extended storage and shipping times, selection for poor quality at the donor country and poorly managed distribution system in the recipient countries.