Effect of Prenatal Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls on Incidence of Acute Respiratory Infections in Preschool Inuit Children

Overview

Journal Environ Health Perspect

Date 2006 Aug 3

PMID 16882544

Citations 48

Authors

Frederic Dallaire

Eric Dewailly

Carole Vezina

Gina Muckle

Jean-Philippe Weber

Suzanne Bruneau

Pierre Ayotte

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: We set out to assess whether environmental prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is associated with incidence of acute respiratory infections in preschool Inuit children.

Study Design: We reviewed the medical charts of 343 children from 0 to 5 years of age and evaluated the associations between PCB-153 concentration in umbilical cord plasma and the incidence rates of acute otitis media (AOM) and of upper and lower respiratory tract infections (URTIs and LRTIs, respectively).

Results: The incidence rates of AOM and LRTIs were positively associated with prenatal exposure to PCBs. Compared with children in the first quartile of exposure (least exposed), children in fourth quartile (most exposed) had rate ratios of 1.25 (p<0.001) and 1.40 (p<0.001) for AOM and LRTIs, respectively. There was no association between prenatal PCB exposure and incidence rate of URTIs or hospitalization.

Conclusion: Prenatal exposure to PCBs could be responsible for a significant portion of respiratory infections in children of this population.

Citing Articles

Association between prenatal exposure to indoor residual spraying insecticides and infection rates among South African children participating in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE).

Davis B, Eskenazi B, Bornman R, Obida M, Chevrier J Sci Total Environ. 2024; 918:170483.

PMID: 38301784 PMC: 11112551. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170483.

Postnatal administration of S-adenosylmethionine restores developmental AHR activation-induced deficits in CD8+ T cell function during influenza A virus infection.

Post C, Myers J, Winans B, Lawrence B Toxicol Sci. 2023; .

PMID: 36847456 PMC: 10109536. DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad019.

Environmental Factors Influencing COVID-19 Incidence and Severity.

Weaver A, Head J, Gould C, Carlton E, Remais J Annu Rev Public Health. 2022; 43:271-291.

PMID: 34982587 PMC: 10044492. DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-052120-101420.

Early-Life Exposure to Environmental Contaminants Perturbs the Sperm Epigenome and Induces Negative Pregnancy Outcomes for Three Generations via the Paternal Lineage.

Maurice C, Dalvai M, Lambrot R, Deschenes A, Scott-Boyer M, McGraw S Epigenomes. 2021; 5(2).

PMID: 34968297 PMC: 8594730. DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes5020010.

Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants and metals and problematic child behavior at 3-5 years of age: a Greenlandic cohort study.

Kornvig S, Wielsoe M, Long M, Bonefeld-Jorgensen E Sci Rep. 2021; 11(1):22182.

PMID: 34772976 PMC: 8589846. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01580-0.

References

Burkow I, Kallenborn R . Sources and transport of persistent pollutants to the Arctic. Toxicol Lett. 2000; 112-113:87-92. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-4274(99)00254-4. View

Dallaire F, Dewailly E, Vezina C, Bruneau S, Ayotte P . Portrait of outpatient visits and hospitalizations for acute infections in Nunavik preschool children. Can J Public Health. 2006; 97(5):362-8. PMC: 6975800. View

Macdonal R, Barrie L, Bidleman T, Diamond M, Gregor D, Semkin R . Contaminants in the Canadian Arctic: 5 years of progress in understanding sources, occurrence and pathways. Sci Total Environ. 2000; 254(2-3):93-234. DOI: 10.1016/s0048-9697(00)00434-4. View

Sjodin A, Hagmar L, Bjork J, Bergman A . Influence of the consumption of fatty Baltic Sea fish on plasma levels of halogenated environmental contaminants in Latvian and Swedish men. Environ Health Perspect. 2000; 108(11):1035-41. PMC: 1240159. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.108-1240159. View

Weisglas-Kuperus N, Patandin S, Berbers G, Sas T, Mulder P, Sauer P . Immunologic effects of background exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins in Dutch preschool children. Environ Health Perspect. 2001; 108(12):1203-7. PMC: 1240203. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.001081203. View

Bjerregaard P, Dewailly E, Ayotte P, Pars T, Ferron L, Mulvad G . Exposure of Inuit in Greenland to organochlorines through the marine diet. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2001; 62(2):69-81. DOI: 10.1080/009841001455490. View

Holman R, Curns A, KAUFMAN S, Cheek J, Pinner R, Schonberger L . Trends in infectious disease hospitalizations among American Indians and Alaska Natives. Am J Public Health. 2001; 91(3):425-31. PMC: 1446620. DOI: 10.2105/ajph.91.3.425. View

Banerji A, Bell A, Mills E, McDonald J, Subbarao K, Stark G . Lower respiratory tract infections in Inuit infants on Baffin Island. CMAJ. 2001; 164(13):1847-50. PMC: 81192. View

Muckle G, Ayotte P, Dewailly E , Jacobson S, Jacobson J . Determinants of polychlorinated biphenyls and methylmercury exposure in inuit women of childbearing age. Environ Health Perspect. 2001; 109(9):957-63. PMC: 1240448. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.01109957. View

10.

Muckle G, Ayotte P, Dewailly E E, Jacobson S, Jacobson J . Prenatal exposure of the northern Québec Inuit infants to environmental contaminants. Environ Health Perspect. 2001; 109(12):1291-9. PMC: 1240513. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.011091291. View

11.

Belles-Isles M, Ayotte P, Dewailly E, Weber J, Roy R . Cord blood lymphocyte functions in newborns from a remote maritime population exposed to organochlorines and methylmercury. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2002; 65(2):165-82. DOI: 10.1080/152873902753396794. View

12.

Curns A, Holman R, Shay D, Cheek J, Kaufman S, Singleton R . Outpatient and hospital visits associated with otitis media among American Indian and Alaska native children younger than 5 years. Pediatrics. 2002; 109(3):E41-1. DOI: 10.1542/peds.109.3.e41. View

13.

Karmaus W, Kuehr J, Kruse H . Infections and atopic disorders in childhood and organochlorine exposure. Arch Environ Health. 2002; 56(6):485-92. DOI: 10.1080/00039890109602896. View

14.

Koch A, Sorensen P, Homoe P, Molbak K, Pedersen F, Mortensen T . Population-based study of acute respiratory infections in children, Greenland. Emerg Infect Dis. 2002; 8(6):586-93. PMC: 2738482. DOI: 10.3201/eid0806.010321. View

15.

Ayotte P, Muckle G, Jacobson J, Jacobson S, Dewailly E . Assessment of pre- and postnatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls: lessons from the Inuit Cohort Study. Environ Health Perspect. 2003; 111(9):1253-8. PMC: 1241583. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.6054. View

16.

Weisglas-Kuperus N, Vreugdenhil H, Mulder P . Immunological effects of environmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins in Dutch school children. Toxicol Lett. 2004; 149(1-3):281-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2003.12.039. View

17.

Dallaire F, Dewailly E, Muckle G, Vezina C, Jacobson S, Jacobson J . Acute infections and environmental exposure to organochlorines in Inuit infants from Nunavik. Environ Health Perspect. 2004; 112(14):1359-65. PMC: 1247560. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.7255. View

18.

Ling D, McCOY R, Levinson E . The incidence of middle ear disease and its educational implications among Baffin Island Eskimo children. Can J Public Health. 1969; 60(10):385-90. View

19.

Takayama M, Itoh S, Nagasaki T, Tanimizu I . A new enzymatic method for determination of serum choline-containing phospholipids. Clin Chim Acta. 1977; 79(1):93-8. DOI: 10.1016/0009-8981(77)90465-x. View

20.

Chang K, Hsieh K, Tang S, TUNG T, Lee T . Immunologic evaluation of patients with polychlorinated biphenyl poisoning: evaluation of delayed-type skin hypersensitive response and its relation to clinical studies. J Toxicol Environ Health. 1982; 9(2):217-23. DOI: 10.1080/15287398209530156. View