title: Environmentally related disorders of the hematologic and immune systems.
abstract: From observations in rodents and, to a lesser extent, in humans inadvertently or occupationally exposed, it appears that a number of xenobiotics adversely affect immune homeostatic systems, either through acting as a hapten and resulting in hypersensitivity reactions or through altering hematopoietic or immune functions. At present, however, there is no evidence that the immune or hematopoietic systems of the general population have been compromised by xenobiotics via environmental exposure. Nonetheless, these examples and our current knowledge about the pathogenesis of disease support the possibility that chemical-induced damage to the immune system may be associated with potential pathological conditions, some of which may become detectable only after a long latency. Likewise, exposure to immunotoxic xenobiotics might represent additional risk to individuals with already fragile immune systems (e.g., in malnutrition, infancy, old age). However, it is important to be cautious when attempting to extrapolate meaningful conclusions from experimental data or isolated epidemiologic studies to risk assessment for low-level human exposure.
authors.affiliation: Division of Toxicology Research and Testing, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Luster
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wierda
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects; D006413:Hematopoietic System / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants