title: Lead exposure in young school children in South African subsistence fishing communities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lead is an established toxic substance, with wide-ranging health effects, including neurodevelopmental decrements and behavioural problems, even at low levels in blood. Anecdotal reports of lead melting to make fishing sinkers in South African subsistence fishing communities prompted the conduct of an epidemiological study in two South African fishing villages to investigate the extent of lead melting and the associated risks in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of the study were to determine the extent of lead melting, and the blood lead distributions and associated risk factors in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, analytical studies were undertaken among 160 young school children in the fishing villages of Struis Bay and Elands Bay located along the south-eastern and western South African coastline, respectively. Blood samples were collected for lead content analysis, and anthropometric and hemoglobin measurements were taken. Questionnaires were administered to obtain information about socio-economic status and risk factors for lead exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood lead levels ranged from 2.2 to 22.4 µg/dl, with the mean blood lead level equalling 7.4. Around 74% of the children had blood lead levels ≥5 µg/dl and 16% had blood lead levels ≥10 µg/dl. Socio-economic factors, and lead melting practices were strongly associated with elevated blood lead levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood lead levels in these remote subsistence fishing communities were unexpectedly elevated, given the absence of local lead industries or other obvious sources of lead exposure. Lead exposure and poisoning is an important, yet neglected, public health concern in South African subsistence fishing communities, and potentially on the entire African continent.
authors.affiliation: Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, 4 Carse O'Gowrie Avenue, Parktown, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa; School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Room 7221, John Orr Building, Doornfontein Campus, Corner of Siemert and Beit Streets, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa. Electronic address: amathee@mrc.ac.za.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathee
authors.forename: Taskeen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Nisha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Naicker
authors.forename: Tahira
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kootbodien
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naidoo
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005398:Fisheries; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D007854:Lead
keywords: Children; Fishing; Lead; Lead poisoning; Melting; South Africa