Environmental Factors
SYNOPSIS
Persistent exposure to faecal pathogens due to open defecation may cause environmental enteropathy that, in turn, may lead to undernutrition and vaccine failure in under 5-year-old (u5) children.
TITLE
Association between vaccine preventable diseases in children and improved sanitation following a nationwide sanitation campaign in India: an ecological analysis
P. Singh, D. N. Forthal, M. Shah, T.A. Bruckner
Persistent exposure to faecal pathogens due to open defecation may cause environmental enteropathy that, in turn, may lead to undernutrition and vaccine failure in under 5-year-old (u5) children. The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) programme in India, launched in 2014, aimed to construct toilets for every household nationwide and reduce open defecation. This programme, if successful, had the potential to reduce the burden of four vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs): diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and measles. We examine whether increased household toilet availability in Indian districts following SBM corresponds with a reduction in diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and measles in u5 children.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
These results highlight a relationship between environmental and residential exposure to glyphosate and high prevalence of asthma, while experimental studies support the biological plausibility of this association.
TITLE
Risk of asthma and environmental exposure to glyphosate in an ecological study.
CITATION
Medardo Avila-Vázquez, Flavia Difilippo, Bryan Mac Lean, et al. Risk of asthma and environmental exposure to glyphosate in an ecological study. Authorea. August 13, 2020.
DOI: 10.22541/au.159734524.47178780
SUMMARY
Background: There is strong evidence of the link between asthma and occupational exposure to pesticides and glyphosate in agricultural workers, but it is limited on environmental or residential exposure to these chemicals. Methods: We analyze asthma prevalence in an agricultural town with high use of pesticides, mainly glyphosate with an ecological study conducted in Monte Maíz, Argentina, composed of a chemical and environmental analysis to determine the burden of exposure to glyphosate and pesticides in general, and a cross-sectional asthma study that uses the methodological criteria of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC); the prevalence’s found in Monte Maíz are compared with the results of ISAAC in Argentine cities with low exposure to pesticides. Results: In Monte Maíz high and preponderant levels of glyphosate were found in the soil and in corn husk and soybean powder. The environmental exposure burden to pesticides was 121 kilos, for glyphosate 81 kilos per person per year, while this burden in the entire country is 7.9 and 6 kilos respectively. The found asthma prevalences were several times higher than those of reference in all ages, the risk of asthma in children of 13 and 14 years old, with respect to those of three large Argentine cities is: OR of 4.64 (CI: 3, 26 – 6.60). Conclusion: These results highlight a relationship between environmental and residential exposure to glyphosate and high prevalence of asthma, while experimental studies support the biological plausibility of this association.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
When some genetic variants were present, cell phone use was significantly associated with thyroid cancer.
TITLE
Genetic susceptibility may modify the association between cell phone use and thyroid cancer: A population-based case-control study in Connecticut
CITATION
SUMMARY
Emerging studies have provided evidence on the carcinogenicity of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) from cell phones. This study aims to test the genetic susceptibility on the association between cell phone use and thyroid cancer. Population-based case-control study was conducted in Connecticut between 2010 and 2011 including 440 thyroid cancer cases and 465 population-based controls with genotyping information for 823 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 176 DNA genes. We used multivariate unconditional logistic regression models to estimate the genotype-environment interaction between each SNP and cell phone use and to estimate the association with cell phone use in populations according to SNP variants. Our result suggests that genetic susceptibilities modify the associations between cell phone use and risk of thyroid cancer. The findings provide more evidence for RFR carcinogenic group classification.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
PBDE (chemicals from Flame Retardants) exposure was the greatest contributor to intellectual disability burden, resulting in a total of 162 million IQ points lost and over 738,000 cases of intellectual disability.
TITLE
Trends in neurodevelopmental disability burden due to early life chemical exposure in the USA from 2001 to 2016: A population-based disease burden and cost analysis
CITATION
Abigail Gaylord, Gwendolyn Osborne, Akhgar Ghassabian, Julia Malits, Teresa Attina, Leonardo Transande; Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology; Online: 14 January 2020. doi 10.1016/j.mce.2019.110666.
SUMMARY
Endocrine disrupting chemicals are known to cause neurodevelopmental toxicity through direct and indirect pathways. In this study we used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, along with known exposure-disease relationships, to quantify the intellectual disability burden attributable to in utero exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs commonly known as Flame Retardants), organophosphates, and methylmercury and early life exposure to lead. We also estimated the cost of the IQ points lost and cases of intellectual disability. PBDE exposure was the greatest contributor to intellectual disability burden, resulting in a total of 162 million IQ points lost and over 738,000 cases of intellectual disability. This was followed by lead, organophosphates, and methylmercury. From 2001 to 2016, IQ loss from PBDEs, methylmercury, and lead have decreased or remained stagnant. Organophosphate exposure measurements were only available up to 2008 but did show an increase in organophosphate-attributable IQ loss. Although most of these trends show benefit for children’s neurodevelopmental health, they may also point towards the use of potentially harmful substitutions for chemicals that are being phased out.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
Long-term exposure to air pollution impedes cognitive performance.
TITLE
The impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance
Citation
Zhang X, Chen X, Zhang X. The impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2018;115(37):9193-9197.
Summary
Long-term exposure to air pollution impedes cognitive performance in verbal and math tests. Effects are stronger as people become older, especially for men. Air pollution substantial health and economic costs.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
Roundup, glyphosate and glyphosate metabolites damage DNA in human blood cells, and Roundup has the strongest effects.
TITLE
The mechanism of DNA damage induced by Roundup 360 PLUS, glyphosate and AMPA in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells—genotoxic risk assessement [sic]
Citation
Wozniak E, Sicinska P, Michalowicz J, et al. The mechanism of DNA damage induced by Roundup 360 PLUS, glyphosate and AMPA in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells—genotoxic risk assessement [sic]. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2018;120:510-522.
Summary
A study assessing the effects of Roundup, glyphosate and a glyphosate metabolite found that all three damaged DNA in human blood cells, with Roundup having the strongest effects, even at very low concentrations.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
In children under age two, four postnatal risk factors (acetaminophen use, antibiotic use, ear infections and early weaning) were associated with an increased risk of autism.
TITLE
Acetaminophen, antibiotics, ear infection, breastfeeding, vitamin D drops, and autism: an epidemiological study
Citation
Bittker SS, Bell KR. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2018;14:1399-1414.
Summary
This study suggests that increased use of acetaminophen and antibiotics in children under age two, along with an increased incidence of ear infections in the first two years and early weaning, are associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The researchers conducted a large parent Internet survey covering over 1,500 three- to twelve-year-old children who either had or did not have ASD. The findings replicate other studies focused on these postnatal ASD risk factors.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
Combined exposure to heavy metals and pesticides can lead to more severe effects on human health compared to their individual effects.
TITLE
Synergistic effects of heavy metals and pesticides in living systems
Citation
Singh N, Gupta VK, Kumar A, Sharma B. Synergistic effects of heavy metals and pesticides in living systems. Frontiers in Chemistry. 2017;5:70.
Summary
Combined exposure to heavy metals and pesticides can lead to more severe effects on human health compared to their individual effects. This review reports that various combinations (pesticides combined with pesticides, pesticides combined with heavy metals, and heavy metals combined with heavy metals) all act synergistically and exhibit more toxicity than a single toxin alone. More work is needed to study the biotransformation of heavy metals and pesticides in combination and the mechanisms by which they affect toxicity.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
Children with ASD have higher urinary levels of mercury and lead.
TITLE
Altered urinary porphyrins and mercury exposure as biomarkers for autism severity in Egyptian children with autism spectrum disorder
CITATION
Khaled EM, Meguid NA, Bjørklund G, et al. Metabolic Brain Disease 2016. DOI 10.1007/s11011-016-9870-6.
SUMMARY
Results of this case-control study showed that children with ASD had higher urinary levels of mercury and lead as well as porphyrins that are characteristic of mercury toxicity as compared to non-ASD control children. Porphyrins are complex molecules that are processed in the body through a series of chemical reactions. Mercury poisons the enzymes that are needed in the process, causing a buildup in the body of excess levels of specific porphyrins. The porphyrins for mercury toxicity also correlated with autism severity in ASD patients.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
Thimerosal reduces people’s ability to make all-important vitamin B12 compounds that help the body detoxify and control inflammation—and B12 deficiencies and severely impaired detoxification are hallmarks of autism.
TITLE
Alternatively spliced methionine synthase in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells: Cobalamin and GSH dependence and inhibitory effects of neurotoxic metals and thimerosal
CITATION
Waly M, Power-Charnitsky V-A, Hodgson N, … Deth R. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2016, Article ID 6143753.
SUMMARY
Thimerosal inhibited cellular production of cobalamin necessary for detoxification and amelioration of oxidative stress. This caused lower methionine synthase activity and an impaired methylation capacity. Autistic subjects in general show cobalamin deficiencies and severely impaired methylation.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
Thimerosal exposure led to the death of neuroblastoma and liver cells due to inhibition of thioredoxin-based cellular metabolism. This is similar to neuronal damage associated with autistic disorder.
TITLE
Toxicological effects of thiomersal and ethylmercury: Inhibition of the thioredoxin system and NADP+-dependent dehydrogenases of the pentose phosphate pathway
CITATION
Juan Rodrigues, Vasco Branc, Jun Lu, Arne Holmgren, Cristina Carvalho. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 286 (2015) 216–223.
SUMMARY
This study demonstrates that Thimerosal and especially Ethylmercury affect specifically the antioxidant thioredoxin cycle and the production of NADPH by impairing the oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway, therefore showing that Trx, TrxR, G6PDH and 6PGDH are important molecular targets for these mercurial compounds. The impairment of these enzymes originates detrimental effects which are especially relevant to the central nervous system.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
Genetic and environmental factors can interact to trigger vaccine adverse events, but researchers’ understanding of genetic susceptibility is still limited.
TITLE
The ontology of genetic susceptibility factors (OGSF) and its application in modeling genetic susceptibility to vaccine adverse events
CITATION
Lin Y, He Y. The ontology of genetic susceptibility factors (OGSF) and its application in modeling genetic susceptibility to vaccine adverse events. J Biomed Semantics 2014;5:19.
SUMMARY
Vaccination can trigger adverse events in population subgroups with genetic susceptibility, often in interaction with environmental factors. These authors argue for the need for a “consensus-based robust…framework for systematically representing and studying…genetic susceptibility and the genetic factors contributing to the susceptibility.”
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
Israeli and Italian researchers demonstrate that exposure to aluminum in vaccines can lead to autoimmune and brain dysfunction.
TITLE
Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) 2013: Unveiling the pathogenic, clinical and diagnostic aspects
CITATION
Perricone C, Colafrancesco S, Mazor RD, Soriano A, Agmon-Levin N, Shoenfeld Y. Journal of Autoimmunity. 2013;47:1-16.
SUMMARY
Environmental factors play a critical role in the induction of autoimmunity, with an interplay between genetic susceptibility and environment. Several neurologic demyelinating diseases have been reported following vaccination, notably Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) (an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system). A number of the most common vaccines appear to have some involvement with autoimmunity.
TAGS
SYNOPSIS
Many heavy metals increase the apparent toxicity of low levels of mercury.
TITLE
Mercury toxicity: Genetic susceptibility and synergistic effects
CITATION
Haley BE. Medical Veritas. 2005;2:535–542.
SUMMARY
This article discusses mercury intoxication and several normally appearing factors that increase the susceptibility to mercury toxicity. Boys with autism represent a subset of the population that is more susceptible to the toxic effects of mercury and thimerosal because they are not efficient excretors of these toxic materials. Research confirms that a lead-toxic person would be more susceptible to mercury toxicity than a healthy, non-toxic person. Researchers routinely observe that many heavy metals increase the apparent toxicity of low levels of mercury. In other words, the synergistic effects of other heavy metals, diet, antibiotics, etc. on mercury toxicity make it impossible to define a “safe level of mercury exposure.”