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Pereira EC, Piai KDA, Salles FJ, Silva ASD, Olympio KPK. A comprehensive analysis of children's blood lead levels in Latin America and the Caribbean over the last eight years: Progress and recommendations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 928:172372. [PMID: 38604359 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
In 2017 we published a review on blood lead levels (BLL) in children from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) for data available up to 14th of March 2014 and recommended the identification and control of "lead hot spots". In the present study, an evaluation of progress toward reducing BLL in the region was carried out. A systematic review of the latest literature on lead exposure in the LAC region held on the PubMed, Web of Science and LILACS databases (January 2014 to March 2022) was conducted using the PRISMA methodology. Only original papers published in peer-reviewed English, Spanish, or Portuguese journals were eligible. A total of 558 papers were retrieved, 77 of which met the selection criteria and 31 (40.25 %) were carried out in Mexico. The prevalence of children with BLL above 10 μg. dL-1 was 22.08 % in the previous review versus 6.78 % in the current study. In the present review, the prevalence of children with BLL above 5 μg. dL-1 was 29.62 %, and only one study reported a BLL prevalence rate between 3.3 and 5 μg. dL-1. The highest BLLs were associated with well-known sources or occupational exposures. The number of countries (n = 13) that published data on BLL in children was lower compared to the previous review (n = 16). Most studies were conducted in areas with known lead exposure sources, similar to the earlier review. The percentage of children at risk of lead poisoning in the region remains unknown because few studies have published data on environmental exposure levels and most samples were relatively small. The recommendation to identify and control sources of lead exposure was maintained, while further suggestions for establishing a systematic public health surveillance system for lead were proposed to help reduce the knowledge gap and inform public health policy-making in LAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizeu Chiodi Pereira
- Departamento de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Kamila de Almeida Piai
- Departamento de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Junqueira Salles
- Departamento de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Agnes Soares da Silva
- Departamento de Vigilância em Saúde Ambiental e Saúde do Trabalhador, Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente, Ministério da Saúde, Brazil
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Perini JA, Silva MC, de Vasconcellos ACS, Viana PVS, Lima MO, Jesus IM, Kempton JW, Oliveira RAA, Hacon SS, Basta PC. Genetic Polymorphism of Delta Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase ( ALAD) Gene and Symptoms of Chronic Mercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Children within the Brazilian Amazon. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:8746. [PMID: 34444495 PMCID: PMC8394242 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18168746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Genetic polymorphisms involved in mercury toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics may be associated with severe mercury toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an ALAD polymorphism on chronic mercury exposure and the health situation of indigenous children from the Brazilian Amazon. One-hundred-and-three indigenous children (under 15 years old) were included and genotyped (rs1800435) using a TaqMan validated assay. The mean age was 6.6 ± 4.5 years old, 60% were female, 49% presented with anemia, and the mean hair mercury concentration was 7.0 ± 4.5 (1.4-23.9) µg/g, with 49% exceeding the reference limit (≥6.0 µg/g). Only two children were heterozygous ALAD, while the others were all wild type. Minor allele frequency (ALAD G) and heterozygous genotype (ALAD CG) were 1% and 2%, respectively. The two children (12 and 14 years old) with the ALAD polymorphism had mercury levels above the average as well as had neurological symptoms related to chronic mercury exposure, such as visual field alterations, memory deficit, distal neuropathy, and toe amyotrophy. Both children also reported frequent consumption of fish in the diet, at least three times a week. In conclusion, our data confirm that an ALAD polymorphism can contribute to mercury half-life time, harmful effects, and neuropsychological disorders in indigenous children with chronic mercury exposure to gold mining activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamila Alessandra Perini
- Laboratório de Pesquisa de Ciências Farmacêuticas (LAPESF), Centro Universitário Estadual da Zona Oeste (UEZO), Av. Manuel Caldeira de Alvarenga, 1.203, Rio de Janeiro 23070-200, RJ, Brazil; (J.A.P.); (M.C.S.)
| | - Mayara Calixto Silva
- Laboratório de Pesquisa de Ciências Farmacêuticas (LAPESF), Centro Universitário Estadual da Zona Oeste (UEZO), Av. Manuel Caldeira de Alvarenga, 1.203, Rio de Janeiro 23070-200, RJ, Brazil; (J.A.P.); (M.C.S.)
| | - Ana Claudia Santiago de Vasconcellos
- Laboratório de Educação Profissional em Vigilância em Saúde, Escola Politécnica de Saúde Joaquim Venâncio, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (EPSJV/Fiocruz), Av. Brasil, 4365-Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil;
| | - Paulo Victor Sousa Viana
- Centro de Referência Professor Hélio Fraga, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (CRPHF/ENSP/Fiocruz), Estrada de Curicica, 2000-Curicica, Rio de Janeiro 22780-195, RJ, Brazil;
| | - Marcelo Oliveira Lima
- Seção de Meio Ambiente, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Ministério da Saúde (SEAMB/IEC/SVS/MS), Rodovia BR-316 km 7 s/n-Levilândia, Ananindeua 67030-000, PA, Brazil; (M.O.L.); (I.M.J.)
| | - Iracina Maura Jesus
- Seção de Meio Ambiente, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Ministério da Saúde (SEAMB/IEC/SVS/MS), Rodovia BR-316 km 7 s/n-Levilândia, Ananindeua 67030-000, PA, Brazil; (M.O.L.); (I.M.J.)
| | - Joseph William Kempton
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Medical School Building, St Mary’s Hospital, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK;
| | | | - Sandra Souza Hacon
- Departamento de Endemias Samuel Pessoa, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (ENSP/Fiocruz), Rua Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480-Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-210, RJ, Brazil;
| | - Paulo Cesar Basta
- Departamento de Endemias Samuel Pessoa, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (ENSP/Fiocruz), Rua Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480-Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-210, RJ, Brazil;
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