Human Morbidity in the Conditions of Natural Geochemical Anomaly That Causes No Endemic Diseases

Abstract

Geochemical and medical ecology studies were conducted in the areas of natural geochemical anomalies with excessive content of heavy metals (Ni, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb) in the Sverdlovsk region (the Middle Urals). The purpose of the work was to study the human morbidity rate in the natural geochemical anomalies (biogeochemical province), which, along with abnormally high content of heavy metals in the soil did not cause endemic diseases. Morbidity data were analyzed by generalized linear model device. The interpretable variable is arcsine-converted value of the cases number ratio to the study area population size. In the course of morbidity average data analysis covering five-year period it's statistically significant increase was stated on the territory of the natural geochemical anomaly (p < 0.001) in comparison with full tone. The main contribution to the morbidity rate increase in the geochemical anomaly make infectious and parasitic diseases, diseases of the circulatory system, respiratory, digestive. As s reason for the increase of morbidity rate is proposed the weakening of immunity under the influence of high concentrations of the chemical elements. Fixed non-specific effect of the natural geochemical factor is probably universal for abnormal areas of the earth's surface, characterized by the endemia absence.