Exposure to Chronic Dietary Aflatoxin Poisoning Is Potentially a Compromising Condition in COVID-19 Patients in Africa

Abstract

In this time of COVID-19 pandemic, we draw attention to a potential aggravating risk factor in Kenya, one that is amenable to mitigation. Advanced age, male sex and underlying medical conditions [1,2] are the main risk factors to fatality among COVID-19 patients. Kenya has reported fatalities in relatively young people with no diagnosed underlying medical conditions. While no evidence exists on the association between aflatoxicosis and COVID 19, effects of potential risk factors such as aflatoxicosis on pathogenesis and epidemiology of COVID-19 needs to be elucidated. Our manuscript titled "Mycotoxin hazards in the Kenyan food and feed market-a retrospective study" submitted in AJFAND, suggest widespread exposure to chronic aflatoxicosis in Kenya. This corroborates observations made at the regional regulatory platform and could have serious implications on COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya and entire Africa where aflatoxicosis is common and largely uncontrolled. Attempting to elucidate this observation, we reviewed literature and associated the fatality scenario in Kenya to chronic dietary aflatoxicosis...