Abstract

BOGANTES- LEDEZMA, Pilar; BOGANTES-LEDEZMA, Diego  and  BOGANTES- LEDEZMA, Sixto. Aflatoxinas. Acta méd. costarric [online]. 2004, vol.46, n.4, pp.174-178. ISSN 0001-6002.

Micotoxins are chemical substances from toxin-producing fungal species, mainly Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. They can cause diseases and death of animals and human beings. Aflatoxins are micotoxins often isolated from peanuts, rice, corn or other edible seeds improperly handled after harvest. They can also be found in secretions or depositions of animals that commonly eat contaminated food. Aflatoxin ingestion causes aflatoxicosis. B1 aflatoxin is known to alter fetal development and is capable of inducing mutations of genes and cancer. It can specifically induce a mutation of codon 249 of suppressor gene P53 facilitating oncogenesis.

Keywords : Aflatoxinas; Aspergillus flavus; Aspergillus parasiticus; carcinoma hepatocelular; aflatoxicosis; teratógenos; virus de la hepatitis B.