title: Fish consumption, mercury exposure and serum antinuclear antibody in Amazonians.
abstract: Exposure to intrinsic Hg in fish was studied in Amazon populations with high prevalence of malaria disease. High fish-eater riverines were compared to urban (Manaus residents) low fish-eater riverines in regards to Hg exposure (hair-Hg) and serum antinuclear antibodies (ANA). Most riverines (99.0%) ate fish daily compared to only 3% of controls. Fish species high in MeHg was consumed more frequently (45.5%) by riverines than controls (18.8%). Mean hair-Hg (34.5 ppm) of riverines was significantly higher than controls (1.0 ppm). Although positive serum ANA was more frequently observed in riverine fish-eaters (12.4%) than controls (2.9%), there was no significant association between hair-Hg and ANA. High prevalence of malaria reporting among riverines was neither associated with Hg exposure nor with serum ANA. An autoimmune dysfunction is unlikely to occur as a result of MMHg exposure due to fish consumption.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Fundação Universidade do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Francinaire A
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Nelson A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Fraiji
authors.forename: Antonio C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: Domingos S N
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: De Lima
authors.forename: Jurandir R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: José G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Dórea
authors.forename: George W O
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005506:Food Contamination; D006046:Gold; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood*; D008906:Mining; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D006046:Gold; D008628:Mercury