Murshidabad--one of the nine groundwater arsenic-affected districts of West Bengal, India. Part II: dermatological, neurological, and obstetric findings.
BACKGROUND
To understand the severity of related health effects of chronic arsenic exposure in West Bengal, a detailed 3-year study was carried out in Murshidabad, one of the nine arsenic-affected districts in West Bengal.


METHODS
We screened 25,274 people from 139 arsenic-affected villages in Murshidabad to identify patients suffering from chronic arsenic toxicity for evidence of multisystemic features and collected biological samples such as head hair, nail, and spot urine from the patients along with the tubewell water they were consuming.


RESULTS
Out of 25,274 people screened, 4813 (19%) were registered with arsenical skin lesions. A case series involving arsenical skin lesions resulting in cancer and gangrene were noted during this study. Representative histopathological pictures of skin biopsy of different types of lesions were also presented. Out of 2595 children we examined for arsenical skin lesions, 122 (4%) were registered with arsenical skin lesions, melanosis with or without keratosis. Different clinical and electrophysiological neurological features were noticed among the arsenic-affected villagers. Both the arsenic content in the drinking water and duration of exposure may be responsible in increasing the susceptibility of pregnant women to spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, preterm births, low birth weights, and neonatal deaths. Some additional multisystemic features such as weakness and lethargy, chronic respiratory problems, gastrointestinal symptoms, and anemia were also recorded in the affected population.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings from this survey on different health effects of arsenic exposure were compared to those from previous studies carried out on arsenic-affected populations in India and Bangladesh as well as other affected countries.


CONCLUSIONS
Multisystemic disorders, including dermal effects, neurological complications, and adverse obstetric outcomes, were observed to be associated with chronic arsenic exposure in the study population in Murshidabad, West Bengal. The magnitude of severity was related to the concentration of arsenic in water as well as duration of the exposure.
Mukherjee
Subhash Chandra
SC
Department of Neurology, Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, India.
Saha
Kshitish Chandra
KC
Pati
Shymapada
S
Dutta
Rathindra Nath
RN
Rahman
Mohammad Mahmudur
MM
Sengupta
Mrinal Kumar
MK
Ahamed
Sad
S
Lodh
Dilip
D
Das
Bhaskar
B
Hossain
M Amir
MA
Nayak
Bishwajit
B
Mukherjee
Amitava
A
Chakraborti
Dipankar
D
Dulta
Subhir Kumar
SK
Palit
Shyamal Kanti
SK
Kaies
Imrul
I
Barua
Ajoy Kishore
AK
Asad
Khondaker Abdul
KA
D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards
D001152:Arsenicals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical