Background and Purpose:Breastfeeding plays an important role in the growth and development of infants. However, breast milk may be contaminated with various mycotoxins. Ochratoxin A is one of the most important mycotoxins with nephrotoxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, genotoxic, and immunotoxic properties. Thus, we carried out this study to determine the concentration of ochratoxin A in human breast milk in Jiroft, Kerman Province, south of Iran.Materials and Methods:Eighty-four human breast milk samples were collected from mothers visiting the number one clinic in Jiroft city. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect ochratoxin A in the samples.Results:Ochratoxin A was found in all the tested samples at a concentration ranging from 0.11 to 7.34 ng/ml. The mean concentration of ochratoxin A in the samples was 1.99±1.34 ng/ml. Fourteen samples contained ochratoxin A at concentrations exceeding the quantitation limit (3 ng/ml).Conclusion:The results of this study showed that infants are exposed to ochratoxin A in our region. In cases exceeding the quantitation limit, the infant's body cannot detoxify the toxin. Therefore, the infant can be affected by various illnesses such as nephropathy, immune system deficiency, and different types of cancer.

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Fungi are placed in the kingdom Mycota and can colonize wood and wood products. Colonized fungi liberate spores in to the air, and spores can be transported over long distances by air currents. Fungal spores can contain multiple dangerous components such as allergens, antigens and mycotoxins. This study was designed to describe the type and frequency of fungal coloni-zation on wood and wood products inside the buildings of Sari, northern Iran. In this study 17 samples were collected from wood and wood products. The fungal diversity of these samples was investigated by culture-based methods. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Eight fungal genera and 1739 fungal colonies were recognized. The most dominant fungi were Aureobasidium (45%), Cladosporium (37.38%) and Penicillium (8.91%). In conclusion, the results of our study showed that wood and wood products can be colonized by Toxigenic and allergenic fungi including: Aureobasidium, Cladosporium and Penicillium. These fungi can cause damage to woods and change the appearance of wood product. Therefore, it is necessary to pre-vent the growth of fungi on wood and wood products.

Candida albicans (C. albicans) is a polymorphic fungus that exists as a natural flora in the skin and mucosal surfaces of the body. However, under certain conditions, such as immunodeficiency, mucosal damage, antibiotic use, and cancer, this fungus can cause superficial and systemic infections. C. albicans is the most common opportunistic pathogenic fungus in humans and causes 60% of mucosal infections and 40% of candidemia cases. Several pathogenic factors have been identified that contribute to the pathogenic potential of this fungus. Among these factors, we can mention: hypha production, attachment, and biofilm formation, secretion of hydrolase enzymes, acquisition of micronutrients, adaptation to oxygen and nitrogen deficiency conditions, and growth at temperatures above 37 °C. This review article will investigate the pathogenic factors of C. albicans and their regulatory factors. For this purpose, articles published in national and international scientific databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Elsevier databases, IranMedex, Scopus, SID, and Science Direct, were used. Keywords such as: “Candida,” “Fungi,” “Pathogenesis,” and “Virulence” were used to find the articles.

Background and Aims: Cow's milk is a daily staple food for many individuals that can be contaminated with many toxins such as aflatoxin M1 (AFM1). AFM1 is a chemical form of the aflatoxin B1 produced by some species of Aspergillus genus like A. ochraceus, A. flavus, A. nomius, and A. parasiticus that can contaminate feed and forage cattle. This toxin enters into the milk after eating contaminated feed by cows. AFM1 can cause various dangerous diseases such as cancer and immune deficiency in humans. The present study is aimed to investigate the level of AFM1 in cow's milk in Jiroft, Kerman Province, Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of 90 cow’s milk samples were collected in spring and summer 2019 from available stores in Jiroft city. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure AFM1 in all cow’s milk samples.Results: In the present study, AFM1 was found in 88 (97.8%) milk samples with a range of 0.2-90.62 ppt (mean, 20.07±24.46 ppt). AFM1 concentrations exceeded 50 ppt (maximum tolerance level of AFM1 in the European Union) was seen in 12 (13.3%) samples. Conclusions: The results of this study showed the presence of AFM1 in cow's milk in Jiroft city. So, in this region, many people are exposed to dangerous diseases such as cancer due to the consumption of milk contaminated with AFM1.