title: Sheep lymph-nodes as a biological indicator of environmental exposure to fluoro-edenite.
abstract: A significantly increased incidence of pleural mesothelioma in Biancavilla (Sicily, Italy) has been attributed to exposure to fluoro-edenite (FE), a fibrous amphibole extracted from a local stone quarry. The lymph-nodes draining the pulmonary lobes of sheep grazing around the town were examined, to gain insights into fibre diffusion. The pasture areas of six sheep flocks lying about 3km from Biancavilla were located using the global positioning system. The cranial tracheobronchial and one middle mediastinal lymph-node as well as four lung tissue samples were collected from 10 animals from each flock and from 10 control sheep for light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination. The lymph-nodes from exposed sheep were enlarged and exhibited signs of anthracosis. Histologically, especially at the paracortical level, they showed lymph-follicle hyperplasia with large reactive cores and several macrophages (coniophages) containing grey-brownish particulate interspersed with elements with a fibril structure, forming aggregates of varying dimensions (coniophage nodules). Similar findings were detected in some peribronchiolar areas of the lung parenchyma. SEM examination showed that FE fibres measured 8-41µm in length and 0.4-1.39µm in diameter in both lymph-nodes and lung tissue. Monitoring of FE fibres in sheep lymph-nodes using appropriate techniques can help set up environmental pollution surveillance.
authors: Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Hygiene and Public Health, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy. Electronic address: cledda@unict.it.
authors: Caterina
authors: C
authors: Ledda
authors: Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Loreto
authors: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
authors: Cristoforo
authors: C
authors: Pomara
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, ASP Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Rapisarda
authors: Hygiene and Public Health, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Fiore
authors: Hygiene and Public Health, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors: Margherita
authors: M
authors: Ferrante
authors: Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Bracci
authors: Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.
authors: Lory
authors: L
authors: Santarelli
authors: Occupational Medicine, Department of the Environment, Safety, Territory, Food and Health Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors: Concettina
authors: C
authors: Fenga
authors: Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors: Venerando
authors: V
authors: Rapisarda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D012802:Sicily
chemical_list: D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; C492470:fluor-edenite
keywords: Biancavilla; Environmental monitoring; Fluoro-edenite; Pleural mesothelioma; Sicily