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HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS FROM ACCIDENTAL RELEASE OF TETRACHLORODIBENZO‐ p ‐DIOXIN (TCDD) AT SEVESO, ITALY
Author(s) -
Pocchiari Francesco,
Silano Vittorio,
Zampieri Alfredo
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1979.tb56614.x
Subject(s) - citation , human health , annals , library science , humanities , art , classics , medicine , computer science , environmental health
This paper is a progress report of the epidemiologic work carried out under the supervision of the Lombardy Regional Authority during the two years elapsed from the accident in a TCP-producing factory (ICMESA) in Meda (Italy), which resulted in the contamination of several towns of a large, densely populated area called the Brianza di Seveso with a total population of 220,000 inhabitants. A wide follow-up program is in progress in the Seveso area; it includes a clinical screening of the population living in the contaminated area and longitudinal and systematic health control of different groups at risk; a long-term morbidity cohort study has been also undertaken. TCDD exposure following the ICMESA accident resulted in an increased chloracne frequency. Neurologic examinations showed both signs of idiopathic subclinical neurologic damage and cases of clinically detectable idiopathic polyneuropathy in adults. A limited percentage of idiopathic hepatomegaly was reported to be present on clinical investigation; no information, however, is given on the criteria by which the hepatomegaly was investigated. Some alterations were observed in some exposed people in one or more liver tests (mainly transaminases and gamma-GT). So far, immunologic investigations, cytogenetic examination and embryomorphology analysis on cases of therapeutical or spontaneous abortions have not given abnormal results.