The health impacts of mycotoxins in the eastern Africa region

• Eastern Africans are at a high risk of mycotoxin health effects.
• Roles of mycotoxins in the prevailing mycotoxin related diseases and health conditions in the EA region are not well known.
• Routine monitoring of aflatoxin and fumonisin exposures as part of medical care is necessary.

East Africans are at a high risk of exposures and effects of mycotoxins. The eastern Africa region is possibly the area where mycotoxicosis has impacted mankind the most. Mycotoxicosis outbreaks have been consistently occurring in Kenya and are associated to consumption of aflatoxin contaminated maize. Maize is widely consumed in Kenya and Tanzania and commonly contaminated with aflatoxins and fumonisins. Assessments have found high aflatoxin and fumonisin exposures in adults and children in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Recently, epidemiological studies have linked the aflatoxin and fumonisins exposures in Tanzania to impaired child growth. Preliminary findings of another epidemiological study in Uganda show a cause–effect relationship between aflatoxin exposure and impaired child growth.