Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) is a critical hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. Its main job is to signal your adrenal glands, located on top of the kidneys, to release cortisol — the body’s key stress hormone.

ACTH plays a central role in your body's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates your response to stress, blood sugar levels, metabolism, immune response, and more.

An ACTH blood test is commonly ordered when:

• Cortisol levels are abnormal

• Symptoms suggest adrenal insufficiency or Cushing’s syndrome

• You're being evaluated for pituitary gland function

• You’re undergoing an ACTH stimulation test (Cosyntropin test) and a baseline ACTH is needed

Aeromonas hydrophila is a water-associated, gram-negative bacterium that can infect the gastrointestinal tract. Its detection may help explain acute or persistent digestive symptoms, including diarrhea and intestinal inflammation.

Low or minimal levels of Aeromonas hydrophila are generally considered less likely to be clinically significant, particularly in individuals without digestive symptoms. In these cases, the organism may represent transient exposure rather than active infection.

- Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is produced by many strains of Aspergillus fungi.

- Aflatoxin B1 is the most potent natural carcinogen known and is usually the major aflatoxin produced by toxigenic strains.

- Aflatoxin B1 is one of the most potent liver carcinogens known and has been associated as a cocarcinogen with hepatitis B in the high incidence of human liver cancer.

- AFB1 is a potent toxin, mutagen, and carcinogen, and is implicated in the etiology of hepatocarcinoma.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin produced by several strains of the fungus Aspergillus flavus. It is found in foods, specifically cereals such as corn and rice, tree nuts, oilseeds (peanut, cottonseed, etc.) and spices, notably those grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions. There is substantial evidence that aflatoxins cause hepatic carcinoma and AFB1, the most toxic aflatoxin, is classified as carcinogenic (Group 1) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Aflatoxins such as AFB1 can cause additive effects in individuals affected by hepatitis B. Wasting and weight loss, stunted growth and development in children, liver cirrhosis and aflatoxicosis are other conditions associated with aflatoxin ingestion.

Aatoxin B2 (AFB2) is a mycotoxin produced by several Aspergillus spp. and found in contaminated foods or hay exposed to water or humid conditions. Exposure routes are primarily ingestion or inhalation. Ingestion can either occur directly from food such as grains, tree nuts, and oilseeds or can also occur from ingestion of milk or meat from animals fed contaminated feed. Toxicity of aatoxins can be categorized as follows, in descending order of known toxic effects: aatoxin B1, aatoxin G1, aatoxin B2, and aatoxin G2. Animal studies have indicated that AFB2 has hepatotoxic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic effects.

Aatoxin B2 (AFB2) is a mycotoxin produced by several Aspergillus spp. and found in contaminated foods or hay exposed to water or humid conditions. Exposure routes are primarily ingestion or inhalation. Ingestion can either occur directly from food such as grains, tree nuts, and oilseeds or can also occur from ingestion of milk or meat from animals fed contaminated feed. Toxicity of aatoxins can be categorized as follows, in descending order of known toxic effects: aatoxin B1, aatoxin G1, aatoxin B2, and aatoxin G2. Animal studies have indicated that AFB2 has hepatotoxic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic effects.

Aflatoxins are naturally occurring Mycotoxins that are produced by Aspergillus species of fungi. Aflatoxin G1 (AFG1) is one of the four major naturally known aflatoxins produced by the Aspergillus species.

Aflatoxin G2 is a mycotoxin produced by certain species of molds, particularly Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. This toxin is a member of the aflatoxin family, known for its potent carcinogenic and toxic effects on humans and animals. Aflatoxin G2 is one of several structurally related compounds, including Aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, and others, but it is considered less toxic than Aflatoxin B1. It can contaminate various food crops, including peanuts, corn, rice, and tree nuts, particularly in warm and humid regions where mold growth is more prevalent. Aflatoxin G2, like other aflatoxins, poses significant health risks when ingested or inhaled, as it can cause liver damage, suppress the immune system, and has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). It is essential to monitor and limit exposure to aflatoxin-contaminated foods, as they pose a severe threat to food safety and public health.

The aflatoxin group line reports four related aflatoxins together as one result in parts per billion, from a competitive ELISA on a urine sample.

Aflatoxins come from fungi on crops — corn, peanuts, cottonseed, tree nuts — and diet is the main source for people not exposed at work, with significant airborne exposure described in industrial and agricultural settings. This is a single spot sample.

The figures beside your result are the laboratory's own categories — Not Present under 0.8 ppb, Equivocal 0.8 to under 1, Present at 1 or above. They are not a reference interval, because none exists: a 2024 Navy and Marine Corps Force Health Protection Command review states that "no urine mycotoxin reference ranges have been established" and that "there is no FDA-approved test for mycotoxins in human urine."

It cannot attribute exposure to a building. Outside rare acute poisonings, the Navy review states that mycotoxin tests "reflect ingestion (food contamination) rather than inhalation"; the AAAAI and the Institute of Medicine concluded the evidence does not support mycotoxin-mediated disease through inhalation in non-occupational settings, and the CDC does not recommend biologic testing of people in water-damaged buildings.

A result reported Present is a measurement, not a diagnosis. Take it to the clinician who ordered it with your diet, your symptoms and your liver chemistry.

Aflatoxins are organic chemical compounds produced by a polyketide pathway by many strains of the mold Aspergillus, Aspergillus flavus is a particular strain common contaminant in agricultural products such as wheat, peanuts and corn.

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is the main metabolite of aflatoxin B1, which is a mycotoxin produced by the mold species Aspergillus. Aflatoxins are some of the most carcinogenic substances in the environment. Aflatoxin susceptibility is dependent on multiple different factors such as age, sex, and diet.

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is the main metabolite of aflatoxin B1, which is a mycotoxin produced by the mold species Aspergillus. Aflatoxins are some of the most carcinogenic substances in the environment. Aflatoxin susceptibility is dependent on multiple different factors such as age, sex, and diet.

Aflatoxins are organic chemical compounds produced by a polyketide pathway by many strains of the mold, Aspergillus.

Aspergillus flavus is a particular strain common contaminant in agricultural products such as peanuts, rice, figs and corn.

Aflatoxin B1 is the most potent natural carcinogen known and is usually the major aflatoxin produced by toxigenic strains. The Curse of the Mummy has been a popular theme for literature, films and folklore.

Aflatoxins are organic chemical compounds produced by a polyketide pathway by many strains of the mold, Aspergillus.

Aspergillus flavus is a particular strain common contaminant in agricultural products such as peanuts, rice, figs and corn.

Aflatoxin B1 is the most potent natural carcinogen known and is usually the major aflatoxin produced by toxigenic strains. The Curse of the Mummy has been a popular theme for literature, films and folklore.

AFP-L3% (Alpha-Fetoprotein-L3 Percent) is a specialized blood test that measures the percentage of a specific subtype of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the bloodstream. AFP is a protein normally produced by the liver and yolk sac during fetal development. In adults, elevated AFP levels can be a sign of liver disease or cancer, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of primary liver cancer.

AFP exists in different forms, and AFP-L3 is a glycosylated variant that is more specifically associated with malignant liver tumors. The AFP-L3% refers to the proportion of total AFP that is the L3 subtype, offering more precise insight into the risk or presence of liver cancer.