The development and prognosis of chronic intoxication by tetrachlordibenzo-p-dioxin in men.

During 1965 to 1968, 80 workers who had been engaged in the production of 2, 4, 5-sodium trichlorphenoxyacetate and butylester of trichlorphenoxyacetate acid became ill. The cause of the illness was 2, 4, 7, 8-tetrachlordibenzo-p-dioxin. A 10-yr study has been conducted for 55 exposed individuals. The majority of the patients developed chloracne, and 11 manifested porphyria cutanea tarda. Approximately one-half of the patients suffered from metabolic disturbances, i.e., pathologically elevated lipids with abnormalities in the lipoprotein spectrum, and two-fifths of the patients had pathological changes in the glucose tolerance test. One-third of the patients had biochemical deviations indicative of a mild liver lesion. Histological examination revealed light steatosis, or periportal fibrosis, or activation of Kupffer cells. Fluorescence of the liver tissues was present in ultraviolet light. In 17 persons symptoms of nervous system focal damage existed, with predominance of peripheral neuron lesion of the lower extremities (verified by EMG examination). The majority of patients suffered from various psychological disorders. As of this date, two patients have died of bronchogenic lung carcinoma; one of liver cirrhosis; one of a rapidly developed, extremely unusual type of atherosclerosis precipue cerebri; and two patients have died in traffic accidents. The conditions of most other patients have improved.

Changes in the blood count of growing rats irradiated with a microwave pulse field.

A group of 20 male rats of mean initial body weight of 65.53 g were irradiated for 7 wk (5 days per wk, 4 hr per day) with an electromagnetic pulse field of the following parameters: working frequency 2,736.5 MHz; repeated frequency 395 Hz; pulse width 2.6 musec; vertical polarization; mean power density 24.4 mW/cm2; accuracy of measuring +/- 6%. The rectal temperature of experimental animals increased during irradiation by a maximum of 0.5 degrees C. Blood was taken before irradiation, at the end of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th wk of irradiation, and at the end of the 1st, 2nd, 6th, and 10th wk after irradiation was completed. The parameters under study included the hematocrit value; number of leukocyte differential count in both absolute and relative proportions; activity of alkaline phosphatase in neutrophil leukocytes; and body weight increase. The results were compared with parallel data obtained from a control group of 20 animals and evaluated by Student's t test at a significance level of 1%. In the second half of the irradiation period the experimental animals exhibited significantly lower mean hematocrit values, lower numbers of leukocytes, and lower absolute numbers of lymphocytes. These changes disappeared gradually within 10 wk after completed irradiation. Activity of alkaline phosphatase in neutrophil leukocytes was significantly increased in the 1st wk of irradiation and dropped transiently after the irradiation. In the post-irradiation interval experimental animals displayed significant decline in rate of body weight increase. The level of the other examined parameters did not differ from the controls.