[Epidemiologic study of lead contamination of children of occupationally exposed parents].
BACKGROUND
As part of the screening of infantile saturnism in France, a cross sectional study has been conducted among 125 children with professionally lead exposed parents, working in two plants, both located at the edge of a rural village. The aim of this study was to seek a lead contamination of these children by their own parents, who may bring back home after work lead particles on their clothes, hair or skin.


METHODS
These children were compared for blood lead levels by logistic regression to a reference group made of forty seven nursery school children, in these villages, without any lead exposed parents. Blood lead levels (< or > or = 70 micrograms/l) were performed for both children group and compared by logistic regression. Moreover parent's blood lead levels (< or = or > 400 micrograms/l) and lead air concentrations measured at their own working places (< or = or > 100 micrograms/m3, available from occupational health services) were also compared to their children blood lead levels.


RESULTS
Blood lead levels in the "exposed group" were significantly higher than in the control group (OR = 9.9 [3.6-27.3]), all the more so as there were several exposed people in children home. In the exposed group, children blood lead levels were both correlated with parents blood lead levels (OR = 8.3 [2.9-24.0]) and lead air concentration measured at their working places (OR = 4.2 [1.6-10.9]).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest a lead contamination of children by their exposed parents, which made it necessary to strengthen individual and collective lead prevention measures in both plants.
Laforest
L
L
Direction Départementale des Affaires Sanitaires et Sociales du Loiret, Saint-Maurice.
Annino
M C
MC
Alluard
A
A
Precausta
D
D
van den Wiele
F
F
Albouy
J
J
Jehanno
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009790:Occupations; D010290:Parents; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D007854:Lead
Etude épidémiologique de la contamination au plomb des enfants de salariés professionnellement exposés.