The ability of fungal isolates from human lung aspergilloma to produce mycotoxins

Abstract

This study included 11 adult patients (seven men and four women) who had been surgically treated for pulmonary aspergilloma in the Republic of Croatia within two years. Mycological analysis was positive for Aspergillus genus in five samples of surgically removed tissue. A. fumigatus was isolated in three and A. versicolor in two samples. Their mycotoxigenic potency was determined by thin layer chromatography. A. fumigatusstrains were found to produce aflatoxin B₁ (AFB), and two of them aflatoxin G₁. A. versicolor strains produced AFB₁ and sterigmatocystin. Neither isolated Aspergillus strain produced aflatoxin G₂ or ochratoxin A. Fungal growth and production of mycotoxins are the consequences of interaction of fungus, host and environment. One has also to take into consideration that the production of mycotoxins in vitro does not reflect what these fungi may produce in human organisms.

Keywords

aflatoxins aspergilloma Aspergillus fumigatus Aspergillus versicolor lung sterigmatocystin

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