title: Follow-Up Genotoxic Study: Chromosome Damage Two and Six Years after Exposure to the Prestige Oil Spill.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The north-west coast of Spain was heavily contaminated by the Prestige oil spill, in 2002. Individuals who participated in the clean-up tasks showed increased chromosome damage two years after exposure. Long-term clinical implications of chromosome damage are still unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To realize a follow-up genotoxic study to detect whether the chromosome damage persisted six years after exposure to the oil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follow-up study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fishermen cooperatives in coastal villages.
  
  
  METHODS
  Local fishermen who were highly exposed (n = 52) and non-exposed (n = 23) to oil seven years after the spill.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chromosome damage in circulating lymphocytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chromosome damage in exposed individuals persists six years after oil exposure, with a similar incidence than those previously detected four years before. A surprising increase in chromosome damage in non-exposed individual was found six years after Prestige spill vs. those detected two years after the exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sample size and the possibility of some kind of selection bias should be considered. Genotoxic results cannot be extrapolated to the approximately 300,000 individuals who participated occasionally in clean-up tasks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The persistence of chromosome damage detected in exposed individuals six years after oil exposure seems to indicate that the cells of the bone marrow are affected. A surprising increase in chromosome damage in non-exposed individuals detected in the follow-up study suggests an indirect exposition of these individuals to some oil compounds or to other toxic agents during the last four years. More long-term studies are needed to confirm the presence of chromosome damage in exposed and non-exposed fishermen due to the association between increased chromosomal damage and increased risk of cancer. Understanding and detecting chromosome damage is important for detecting cancer in its early stages. The present work is the first follow-up cytogenetic study carried out in lymphocytes to determine genotoxic damage evolution between two and six years after oil exposure in same individuals.
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Biologia Cel·lular i Genètica Mèdica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hildur
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Biologia Cel·lular i Genètica Mèdica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Templado
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca en Epidemiologia Ambiental (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia i Salut Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jan-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zock
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Bioestadística and Institut de Neurociències, Facultat de Medicina, UAB, Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Giraldo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Respiratoria, Unidad Epidemiologia Clínica, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain; CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Bunyola, Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pozo-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Biologia Cel·lular i Genètica Mèdica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frances
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Biologia Cel·lular i Genètica Mèdica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monyarch
authors.affiliation: CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Bunyola, Mallorca, Spain; Departamento de Medicina Respiratoria, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Gema
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Trigo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Respiratoria, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Respiratoria, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Souto
authors.affiliation: CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Bunyola, Mallorca, Spain; Departament de Medicina Respiratòria, Hospital Clínic-Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Federico P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca en Epidemiologia Ambiental (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia i Salut Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Antó
authors.affiliation: CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Bunyola, Mallorca, Spain; Departament de Medicina Respiratòria, Hospital Clínic-Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Joan Albert
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Barberà
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Biologia Cel·lular i Genètica Mèdica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: Carme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fuster
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004249:DNA Damage; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors