Relationship between environmental pollution in Manzala Lake and health profile of fishermen

Abstract

Manzala Lake exposed to many pollutants including untreated sewage, agricultural and industrial wastes which increase the concentration of heavy metals, and compromise the health state of the fishermen. This study investigated 100 fishermen and 100 males of other occupations as controls. Both groups work in and live on and around the lake. Clinical examination revealed no significant changes between the fishermen and control group as regards the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and dermatological systems. However, the urinary, musculoskeletal and respiratory symptoms were significantly higher in fishermen than in control males. There was a significant decrease in neutrophils (48.8%) and a significant increase in lymphocytes and eosinophils (35.4% and 9%), respectively. Hepatotoxicity was evidenced by an increase in serum aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase. There were no significant differences in serum creatinine and urea between fishermen and control. Levels of lead, cadmium and mercury in water and sediment were 0.26, 0.014, 0.002 mg/l, and 33.5, 1.37, 0.28 micrograms/kg, respectively. Levels of the three heavy metals in the fish samples and serum of fishermen and control males in average were 1.06, 0.18, 0.00025 ppm, 523, 33.5, 13.7 micrograms/l and 374, 12.8 11.2 micrograms/l, respectively. This study aimed to establish the relation between the environmental pollution and the health status of the population inhabiting the contaminated areas.

Geographical Clustering of Pancreatic Cancers in the Northeast Nile Delta Region of Egypt

“…For instance, children and adolescents from highly polluted areas of Cairo have serum cadmium levels higher than those of U.S. children (Samir et al 1997;Hossny et al 2001). Moreover, residents of Dakahleia Province and fishermen of the Manzala Lagoon have serum levels 15 and 30 times higher, respectively, than those of the Cairo residents (Samir et al 1997;Osfor et al 1998b;Hossny et al 2001).…”

“…Interestingly, cadmium levels are high not only in the soil of the Manzala region but also in the sera of fishermen and other apparently healthy residents there (Osfor et al 1998b). Moreover, these high serum levels are even much higher than serum levels of populations in other parts of Egypt.…”

Normal liver function in women in the general Japanese population subjected to environmental exposure to cadmium at various levels

“…However, Toda et al (1984) did not ®nd any abnormalities in liver function tests (including AST and ALT) among workers who had been exposed to Cd: Cd levels in urine were elevated up to 185 lg/day, and urinary b 2 -microglobulin levels were also elevated up to 2000 lg/l. In a recent report on the pollution of Lake Manzala in the Nile Delta, Egypt, Osfor et al (1998) reported elevations of AST and ALT in the serum of ®shermen, whose Cd-B levels were found to be higher than those of controls. It is, however, dicult to clarify whether Cd exposure as responsible for the observed AST and ALT elevation, because the lake water as also contaminated with other metals, as well as other pollutants.…”

“…It is, however, dicult to clarify whether Cd exposure as responsible for the observed AST and ALT elevation, because the lake water as also contaminated with other metals, as well as other pollutants. Thus, Osfor et al (1998) pointed to possible biological causes such as poor nutrition and infection in addition to exposure to liver toxins. Overall therefore, it is prudent to conclude that the current level of environmental exposure to Cd in Japan is unlikely to induce adverse eects on liver function.…”

Serum Levels of Heavy Metals in Cholangiocarcinoma Patients from the Nile Delta Region of Egypt: A Single Centre Study

“…High concentrations of heavy metals, including cadmium, are among the pollutants in the water. Plants and fish grown in this water are also contaminated with heavy metals (8,9), which can in turn accumulate in humans and animals that feed on these contaminated foods (10). The serum cadmium levels of residents of Dakahlia Province are almost 10 folds higher than those of residents from cadmium-polluted areas in Cairo and 32 times higher than reference levels for healthy populations in the United States (10)(11)(12).…”