Workgroup Report: Public Health Strategies for Reducing Aflatoxin Exposure in Developing Countries

• DOI: 10.1289/ehp.9302
• Publication Date: 2006-08-24T17:47:18Z
• Authors: Heather Strosnider; Eduardo Azziz-Bau...; Marianne Banziger; Ramesh V. Bhat; Robert Breiman; Marie-Noel Brune; Kevin DeCock; Abby Dilley; John Groopman; Kerstin Hell; Sara H. Henry; Daniel Jeffers; Curtis Jolly; Pauline Jolly; Gilbert N. Kibata; Lauren Lewis; Xiumei Liu; George Luber; Leslie McCoy; Patience Mensah; Marina Miraglia; Ambrose Misore; Henry Njapau; Choon-Nam Ong; Mary T.K. Onsongo; Samuel W. Page; Douglas Park; Manish Patel; Timothy Phillips; Maya Pineiro; Jenny Pronczuk; Helen Schurz Rogers; Carol Rubin; Myrna Sabino; Arthur Schaafsma; Gordon Shephard; Joerg Stroka; Christopher Wild; Jonathan T. Williams; David Wilson
• Keywords: Workgroup

Consecutive outbreaks of acute aflatoxicosis in Kenya 2004 and 2005 caused > 150 deaths. In response, the Centers for Disease Control Prevention World Health Organization convened a workgroup international experts health officials Geneva, Switzerland, July 2005. After discussions concerning what is known about aflatoxins, identified gaps current knowledge chronic human effects surveillance food monitoring, analytic methods, efficacy intervention strategies. The also public strategies that could be integrated with agricultural approaches to resolve ultimately reduce morbidity mortality associated consumption aflatoxin-contaminated developing world. Four issues warrant immediate attention were identified: a) quantify impacts burden disease due aflatoxin exposure; b) compile an inventory, evaluate efficacy, disseminate results ongoing strategies; c) develop augment surveillance, laboratory, response capacity affected regions; d) protocol can used event outbreak aflatoxicosis. This report expands on workgroup’s countries summarizes findings.