[A cross-sectional study on the effects of microcystin in drinking water to the health of human beings].
OBJECTIVE
To understand the effects of microcystin (MC) in drinking water on health of human beings.


METHODS
In Taixing, a cross-sectional study was conducted in two middle schools with different types of drinking water, from which 111 and 92 students were randomly selected and investigated. Blood samples from all individuals were collected and tested for serum HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBs, anti-HBc with enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay and for serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) contents by colorimetry. These levels of enzymes in sera were compared after the students were stratified according to the status of HBV infection.


RESULTS
With the exclusion of the effect of HBV infection, three enzymes levels in sera between two groups of students showed significant differences (P < 0.01), much higher in exposure group than those in control group.


CONCLUSIONS
MC was possibly harmful to human beings in drinking water and induced the contents of some enzymes from the liver of human beings to increase in sera.
Lian
M
M
Institute of Preventive Medicine, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Liu
Y
Y
Yu
S
S
Chen
C
C
Zhou
X
X
Zhou
Y
Y
Ding
B
B
Wang
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000633:toxicity*; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D052998:Microcystins; D008875:Middle Aged; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000633:toxicity*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D052998:Microcystins; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C078588:microcystin