title: Low blood cell counts in wild Japanese monkeys after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
abstract: In April 2012 we carried out a 1-year hematological study on a population of wild Japanese monkeys inhabiting the forest area of Fukushima City. This area is located 70 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), which released a large amount of radioactive material into the environment following the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. For comparison, we examined monkeys inhabiting the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture, located approximately 400 km from the NPP. Total muscle cesium concentration in Fukushima monkeys was in the range of 78-1778 Bq/kg, whereas the level of cesium was below the detection limit in all Shimokita monkeys. Compared with Shimokita monkeys, Fukushima monkeys had significantly low white and red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, and the white blood cell count in immature monkeys showed a significant negative correlation with muscle cesium concentration. These results suggest that the exposure to some form of radioactive material contributed to hematological changes in Fukushima monkeys.
authors: Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Kazuhiko
authors: K
authors: Ochiai
authors: Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Shin-ichi
authors: S
authors: Hayama
authors: Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Sachie
authors: S
authors: Nakiri
authors: Conservation and Animal Welfare Trust, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Setsuko
authors: S
authors: Nakanishi
authors: Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Naomi
authors: N
authors: Ishii
authors: Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Taiki
authors: T
authors: Uno
authors: Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Takuya
authors: T
authors: Kato
authors: Shin-Fukushima Agricultural Cooperative, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Fumiharu
authors: F
authors: Konno
authors: Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Aichi, Japan.
authors: Yoshi
authors: Y
authors: Kawamoto
authors: Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Shuichi
authors: S
authors: Tsuchida
authors: Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Toshinori
authors: T
authors: Omi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D008251:Macaca; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D006454:Hemoglobins