Molds
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2009, 10, 1465-1475; doi:10.3390/ijms10041465
Dennis G. Hooper 1,*, Vincent E. Bolton 1, Frederick T. Guilford 2 and David
C. Straus 3
1 RealTime Laboratories, LLC, 13016 Bee Street #203, Dallas, TX 79234, USA
2 5050 El Camino Real, #110, Los Altos, CA 94022, USA
3 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Texas Tech University Health
Sciences Center,
Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: mscmd@cox.net;
Tel. +1-972-243-7754; Fax: +1-972-243-7759
Received: 4 February 2009; in revised form: 13 March 2009 / Accepted: 27
March 2009 /
Published: 1 April 2009
Abstract: The goal of this study was to determine if selected mycotoxins
(trichothecenes,
aflatoxins, and ochratoxins) could be extracted and identified in human
tissue and body
fluids from patients exposed to toxin producing molds in their environment.
Human urine
and methanol extracted tissues and sputum were examined. Trichothecenes were
tested
using competitive ELISA techniques. Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2, and
ochratoxin A
were tested by using immunoaffinity columns and fluorometry. Test
sensitivity and
specificity were determined. Levels of detection for the various mycotoxins
varied from
0.2 ppb for trichothecenes, 1.0 ppb for aflatoxins, and 2.0 ppb for
ochratoxins.
Trichothecene levels varied in urine, sputum, and tissue biopsies (lung,
liver, brain) from
undetectable (<0.2 ppb) to levels up to 18 ppb. Aflatoxin levels from the
same types of
tissues varied from 1.0 to 5.0 ppb. Ochratoxins isolated in the same type of
tissues varied
from 2.0 ppb to > 10.0 ppb. Negative control patients had no detectable
mycotoxins in
their tissues or fluids. These data show that mycotoxins can be detected in
body fluids
and human tissue from patients exposed to mycotoxin producing molds in the
environment, and demonstrate which human tissues or fluids are the most
likely to yield
positive results.
