title: Manganese and copper imbalance in the food chain constituents in relation to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
abstract: The objective of the study was to investigate the possible role of manganese and copper (Mn/Cu) imbalance of the food chain in the focally increased occurrence of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Mn and Cu concentrations in soil, drinking water and foodstuffs collected from households in the region of focal accumulation of CJD patients and the control region were measured by FAAS. Considerably higher Mn/Cu ratios in the studied region than those in the control region were found for soil (49.3 vs. 21.1), honey (8.05 vs. 4.86), and for the main local food items: potatoes (2.09 vs. 1.07) and bread (5.85 vs. 5.35), however, only soil and potatoes were of statistical significance. The results could indicate a rare coincidence of the verified endogenous CJD risk (genetic) with a very probable exogenous CJD risk factor (Mn/Cu dietary/environmental imbalance), but whether and how this coincidence may contribute to the unique, continual temporo-spatial clustering of genetic CJD should be investigated in further studies.
authors.affiliation: Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Vlasta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Masánová
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mitrova
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ursinyova
authors.forename: Iveta
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Uhnakova
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Slivarichova
mesh_terms: D003300:Copper / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020387:Food Chain; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008345:Manganese / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic / Q000379:methods; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper