title: Lead poisoning in children from townships in the vicinity of a lead-zinc mine in Kabwe, Zambia.
abstract: Childhood lead poisoning is a serious public health concern worldwide. Blood lead levels exceeding 5 μg dL(-1) are considered elevated. In Kabwe, the capital of Zambia's Central Province, extensive Pb contamination of township soils in the vicinity of a Pb-Zn mine and posing serious health risk to children has been reported. We investigated BLLs in children under the age of 7 years in townships around the mine; where blood samples were collected and analyzed using an ICP-MS. All of the sampled children had BLLs exceeding 5 μg dL(-1). Children in these areas could be at serious risk of Pb toxicity as 18% of the sampled children in Chowa, 57% (Kasanda) and 25% (Makululu) had BLLs exceeding 65 μg dL(-1). Eight children had BLLs exceeding 150 μg dL(-1) with the maximum being 427.8 μg dL(-1). We recommend that medical intervention be commenced in the children with BLL exceeding 45 μg dL(-1).
authors.affiliation: The University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yabe
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
authors.forename: Shouta M M
authors.initials: SMM
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikenaka
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
authors.forename: Yared B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Yohannes
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
authors.forename: Nesta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bortey-Sam
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
authors.forename: Balazs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oroszlany
authors.affiliation: The University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Kaampwe
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muzandu
authors.affiliation: The University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Kennedy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choongo
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, District Health Office, P.O. Box 80735, Kabwe, Zambia.
authors.forename: Abel Nketani
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Kabalo
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, District Health Office, P.O. Box 80735, Kabwe, Zambia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ntapisha
authors.affiliation: The University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mweene
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umemura
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan. Electronic address: ishizum@vetmed.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishizuka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008906:Mining; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015032:Zinc
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007854:Lead; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Children; Kabwe; Lead poisoning; Pb–Zn mine; Zambia