title: Effects of long-term chronic exposure to sun radiation in immunological system of commercial fishermen in Recife, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Among the various occupations which necessarily require long-term and chronic sun exposure is that of a fisherman. However, clinical experience in dermatology earned over several years of medical practice does not seem to confirm this hypothesis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate clinical, histological and immunological effects of long-term and chronic exposure to ultraviolet radiation in fishermen.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, cross-sectional and observational study characterized skin lesions, immunological markers and histological alterations in fishermen, as well as lymphocyte subpopulations compared to a control group. Mann-Whitney, Fisher's and Wilcoxon statistical tests were used at a significance level of 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences between the exposed group and the group protected due to elastosis (p = 0.03), ectasia of dermal vessels (p = 0.012) and number of cells in the epidermal layers between cones (p = 0.029). Most common among fishermen were CD45RO, CD68 + and mastocytes in the skin (p = 0.040, p <0.001, p = 0.001) and CD3CD8CD45RO in the blood (p = 0.016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The alterations suggest that long-term and chronic sun exposure promotes tolerance to ultraviolet radiation, which protects against immunosuppression.
authors: University of Sao Paulo - Laboratory of Immunopathology and Allergy (LIM-56) – Sao Paulo (SP), Brazil. saritamartins@uol.com.br
authors: Sarita Maria de Fátima Martins de Carvalho
authors: SM
authors: Bezerra
authors: Mirian Nakagami
authors: MN
authors: Sotto
authors: Noemia Mie
authors: NM
authors: Orii
authors: Cleiton
authors: C
authors: Alves
authors: Alberto José da Silva
authors: AJ
authors: Duarte