TY - JOUR
T1 - Blood zinc protoporphyrin levels in the children and wives of lead battery workers
T2 - A preliminary report
AU - Richter, E. D.
AU - Baras, M.
AU - Berant, M.
AU - Tulchinsky, T.
PY - 1985
Y1 - 1985
N2 - The Pb(B)-ZPP data on the lead workers indicate that they were heavily exposed to lead - a matter worrisome in itself - and therefore could have served as vectors of transmission to their households. In the battery factory in which the fathers of the children worked, showers and changes of work clothing were reportedly the rule. These work practices and arrangements may not totally eliminate transmission, and trace amounts of lead may remain on the surfaces of the bodies, and, in the absence of precautions for rigid separation of work from street clothing, on the latter as well. The absence of elevated ZPP among the wives of battery workers suggests that for the children, current or past hand licking of contaminated surfaces could be the critical route or pathway of transmission, if lead had indeed been the reason for increases in ZPP. Even if lead exposure had been the cause of the small rises in ZPP, there is individual variability in suceptibility to lead at both low and high levels. Therefore, we are uncertain as to the significance of the reported findings for the health, well-being, and neurological and intellectual development of the children studied. ZPP screening in children of lead-exposed workers, followed by Pb(B) detrminations in those with ZPP>40 μg/dl, is proposed to determine their risks for lead exposure, and if such a risk is present, to evaluate the effect of control measures. Such screening remains to be put into the effect in Israel, as it is low in cost, easy to implement, and can detect both lead excess and iron insufficiency.
AB - The Pb(B)-ZPP data on the lead workers indicate that they were heavily exposed to lead - a matter worrisome in itself - and therefore could have served as vectors of transmission to their households. In the battery factory in which the fathers of the children worked, showers and changes of work clothing were reportedly the rule. These work practices and arrangements may not totally eliminate transmission, and trace amounts of lead may remain on the surfaces of the bodies, and, in the absence of precautions for rigid separation of work from street clothing, on the latter as well. The absence of elevated ZPP among the wives of battery workers suggests that for the children, current or past hand licking of contaminated surfaces could be the critical route or pathway of transmission, if lead had indeed been the reason for increases in ZPP. Even if lead exposure had been the cause of the small rises in ZPP, there is individual variability in suceptibility to lead at both low and high levels. Therefore, we are uncertain as to the significance of the reported findings for the health, well-being, and neurological and intellectual development of the children studied. ZPP screening in children of lead-exposed workers, followed by Pb(B) detrminations in those with ZPP>40 μg/dl, is proposed to determine their risks for lead exposure, and if such a risk is present, to evaluate the effect of control measures. Such screening remains to be put into the effect in Israel, as it is low in cost, easy to implement, and can detect both lead excess and iron insufficiency.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0022182862&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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C2 - 4055339
AN - SCOPUS:0022182862
SN - 0021-2180
VL - 21
SP - 761
EP - 764
JO - Israel Journal of Medical Sciences
JF - Israel Journal of Medical Sciences
IS - 9
ER -