Aflatoxin and ochratoxin production by Aspergillus species under ex vivo conditions.

Aspergillus species are increasingly important human pathogens. It is not known whether toxic metabolites of many of these pathogenic species can act as virulence factors in aspergillosis. We examined isolates of aflatoxin and ochratoxin-producing species for toxin production in ex vivo conditions. Seven of the 21 aflatoxin-producing isolates screened produced aflatoxin at 35 and 37 degrees C on the general medium yeast extract sucrose agar (YES). However, none of them produced toxin at these temperatures on brain heart infusion agar (BHA), a medium that mimics human tissue, or on BHA with modified pH or sugar levels. Six of the 12 ochratoxin-producing isolates examined produced toxin at 35 degrees C on YES. All three isolates of A. alliaceus produced ochratoxin on BHA or modified BHA at 37 degrees C. One strain of A. pseudoelegans produced a minute amount of ochratoxin on modified BHA at 37 degrees C. These data indicate that aflatoxin is an unlikely virulence, factor but that ochratoxin may be a potential virulence factor in aspergillosis.