Chloracne Caused by Ingestion of Olive Oil Contaminated with PCDDs and PCDFs

Abstract

<jats:p> 1 All members of a Spanish family (father, mother and six children) developed chloracne. </jats:p><jats:p> 2 The causative agent was found to be the family's stock of olive oil, which had become contaminated with polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), pentachlorophenol, and hexachlorobenzene. </jats:p><jats:p> 3 The more highly chlorinated PCDDs, in particular octachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin, were the predominant congeners in the oil. </jats:p><jats:p> 4 Three members of the family exhibited either an overt or a sub-clinical disturbance of kidney function. The father also had a chronic respiratory problem. These changes could not be unequivocally attributed to the PCDDs. </jats:p><jats:p> 5 Experimental toxicity of the oil was limited to the development of an hepatic porphyria in mice. </jats:p><jats:p> 6 A serum sample, taken 5 years after consumption of the oil ceased, contained high levels of the PCDDs and PCDFs. Extrapolation back to ingested dose was used to validate dosage estimates. </jats:p><jats:p> 7 The use of toxicity equivalence factors (TEFs) provided estimates of cumulative dosage to produce chloracne as 0.13-0.31 μg 2378-TCDD kg<jats:sup>-1</jats:sup> (using EPA TEFs) or 6.7-16 μg 2378-TCDD kg<jats:sup>-1</jats:sup> (using Nordic/NATO TEFs). </jats:p><jats:p> 8 This is the first incident in which human toxicity is related primarily to ingestion of PCDDs and for which estimates of dosage can be made. </jats:p>

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and the human immune system: 4. Studies on two Spanish families with increased body burdens of highly chlorinated PCDDs

“…The poisoning scenario and clinical data for Family 1 were reported previously (Hansson et al, 1995b;Rappe et al, 1998;Rodriguez-Pichardo and Camacho, 1990;Rodriguez-Pichardo et al, 1991). The existence of Family 2 has only been briefly reported before (Rappe et al, 1998).…”

“…The data suggest (Rappe et al, 1998;Rodriguez-Pichardo et al, 1991) that higher chlorinated congeners of PCDDs and PCDFs are capable of inducing chloracne. Body burdens predominantly consisted of hepta-and octachlorinated congeners, for which little information is available, and levels of the dioxins were very high (>500,000 ppt OCDD in some cases) although the early measurements closer to the time of exposure, when the skin lesions existed, also showed moderately increased levels of penta-and hexachlorinated congeners in the plasma.…”

“…A further son was born a few months after the family were first seen (Rodriguez-Pichardo and Camacho, 1990;Rodriguez-Pichardo et al, 1991). Blood samples from the most severe cases originally, were combined in 1987 and together with the contaminated olive oil analysed for PCDDs and PCDFs.…”

“…The father also suffered from severe respiratory problems at the time of presentation and the youngest son developed convulsions soon after birth which did not reoccur after his mother stopped breast feeding. In early years his growth was apparently retarded (Rodriguez-Pichardo et al, 1991). Oil was consumed by use in cooking and as a salad dressing.…”

Biomarkers for Great Lakes priority contaminants: halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons.

“…Total estimated TCDD TEQ body burdens were 150 pg or approximately 200-fold greater than the average current level of TCDD TEQs in North American adults (81). In comparison, the estimated chloracneinducing dose in a Spanish family who ingested PCDD/PCDF-contaminated olive oil for approximately 6 to 7 months was 32 to 76 ng/kg/day (82). The discrepancy between the two estimated chloracneinducing doses may be the result of congener patterns; in the rice oil poisonings, PCDFs were more prevalent, but PCDDs were more predominant but in the olive oil example.…”