Distribution of moulds on stored grains in households in an area affected by endemic nephropathy in Yugoslavia.

The distribution of moulds on stored maize, wheat and beans in families affected and unaffected by nephropathy in the endemic area (Endemic nephrophaty - Balkan kidney disease) of middle Posavinain Yugoslavia was studied. Among 3 700 samples of stored grains, no significant difference was noted in the contamination by moulds of samples taken from affected and unaffected families. The predominant moulds on all the samples were 'storage moulds' from the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus, 'field moulds' among which Alternaria and Fusarium were encountered most frequently, and the 'spoilage moulds' Absidia, Mucor, Rhizopus, Trichoderma and Trichothecium.