title: Blood lead levels following consumption of game meat in Italy.
abstract: The aim of this study was to measure lead (Pb) levels in blood (Pb-blood) in consumers of game meat, taking into account other possible sources of lead exposure. A spot blood sample was obtained from 95 subjects, and a questionnaire was used to collect general information and data on game meat consumption, hunting, wine drinking and other possible sources of lead exposure. Pb-blood was measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Pb-blood was not influenced by age, sex, residence in an urban or rural area, consumption of game meat, tobacco smoking or hobbies associated with potential exposure to lead, and median Pb-blood was 1.7 (5th-95th percentile 1.0-5.3)µg/dL and 3.4 (0.9-6.1)µg/dL for game meat non-eaters and eater, respectively. A multiple linear regression analysis (containing the covariates sex, age, hunting, wine drinking, game meat consumption, tobacco smoking, shooting range, and occupational exposure) found an association with hunting (Pb-blood almost double in hunters) and wine drinking (40% higher in drinkers) but not with consumption of game meat or other parameters. Whether the higher Pb-blood level was due to inhalation of lead fumes while shooting with lead ammunition, to handling lead ammunition or both could not be ascertained.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e di Comunità, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via S. Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy; Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via S. Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: silvia.fustinoni@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fustinoni
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e di Comunità, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via S. Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: sabrina.sucato@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sucato
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via S. Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: dario.consonni@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Consonni
authors.affiliation: Angelo Bianchi Bonomi Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico and Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Francesco Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: pm.mannuccio@policlinico.mi.it.
authors.forename: Pier Mannuccio
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Mannucci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Cliniche, Università degli Studi di Milano, and International Centre for Pesticides and Health Risks Protection (ICPS), ASST-Fatebenefratelli, "Luigi Sacco" Hospital, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: angelo.moretto@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moretto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008875:Middle Aged; D011998:Recreation; D014920:Wine
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007854:Lead
keywords: Blood lead; Game meat consumption; Lead exposure; Recreational hunters