IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i13p7716-d846183.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

earlyMYCO: A Pilot Mother-Child Cohort Study to Assess Early-Life Exposure to Mycotoxins—Challenges and Lessons Learned

Author

Listed:
  • Carla Martins

    (National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
    Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
    Public Health Research Centre, NOVA National School of Public Health, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1600-560 Lisbon, Portugal
    Comprehensive Health Research Center, Campo Mártires da Pátria, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Ricardo Assunção

    (National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
    Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
    Comprehensive Health Research Center, Campo Mártires da Pátria, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal
    Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz (IUEM), Egas Moniz-Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal)

  • Ana Costa

    (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

  • Débora Serrano

    (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

  • Lia Visintin

    (Centre of Excellence in Mycotoxicology and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Marthe De Boevre

    (Centre of Excellence in Mycotoxicology and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Carl Lachat

    (Centre of Excellence in Mycotoxicology and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Arnau Vidal

    (Centre of Excellence in Mycotoxicology and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Sarah De Saeger

    (Centre of Excellence in Mycotoxicology and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Sónia Namorado

    (National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
    Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

  • Cristina Vidigal

    (ACES Lisboa Central, Regional Health Administration of Lisbon and Tagus Valley (ARSLVT), 1700-179 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Elisabete Almeida

    (ACES Lisboa Central, Regional Health Administration of Lisbon and Tagus Valley (ARSLVT), 1700-179 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Paula Alvito

    (National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
    Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Carla Nunes

    (Public Health Research Centre, NOVA National School of Public Health, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1600-560 Lisbon, Portugal
    Comprehensive Health Research Center, Campo Mártires da Pátria, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

Early-life exposure occurs during gestation through transfer to the fetus and later, during lactation. Recent monitoring data revealed that the Portuguese population is exposed to mycotoxins, including young children. This study aimed to develop a pilot study to assess the early-life exposure to mycotoxins through a mother–child cohort, and to identify the associated challenges. Participants were recruited during pregnancy (1st trimester) and followed-up in three moments of observation: 2nd trimester of pregnancy (mother), and 1st and 6th month of the child’s life (mother and child), with the collection of biological samples and sociodemographic and food consumption data. The earlyMYCO pilot study enrolled 19 mother–child pairs. The analysis of biological samples from participants revealed the presence of 4 out of 15 and 5 out of 18 mycotoxins’ biomarkers of exposure in urine and breast milk samples, respectively. The main aspects identified as contributors for the successful development of the cohort were the multidisciplinary and dedicated team members in healthcare units, reduced burden of participation, and the availability of healthcare units for the implementation of the fieldwork. Challenges faced, lessons learned, and suggestions were discussed as a contribution for the development of further studies in this area.

Suggested Citation

  • Carla Martins & Ricardo Assunção & Ana Costa & Débora Serrano & Lia Visintin & Marthe De Boevre & Carl Lachat & Arnau Vidal & Sarah De Saeger & Sónia Namorado & Cristina Vidigal & Elisabete Almeida & , 2022. "earlyMYCO: A Pilot Mother-Child Cohort Study to Assess Early-Life Exposure to Mycotoxins—Challenges and Lessons Learned," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-15, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:13:p:7716-:d:846183
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/13/7716/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/13/7716/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:13:p:7716-:d:846183. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.