High Lead Exposure Associated With Higher Blood Pressure in Haiti: a Warning Sign for Low-Income Countries

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in lower-income countries including Haiti. Environmental lead exposure is associated with high blood pressure and cardiovascular mortality in high-income countries but has not been systematically measured and evaluated as a potential modifiable cardiovascular risk factor in lower-income countries where 6.5 billion people reside. We hypothesized lead exposure is high in urban Haiti and associated with higher blood pressure levels. Blood lead levels were measured in 2504 participants ≥18 years enrolled in a longitudinal population-based cohort study in Port-au-Prince. Lead screening was conducted using LeadCare II (detection limit ≥3.3 µg/dL). Levels below detection were imputed by dividing the level of detection by √2. Associations between lead (quartiles) and systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were assessed, adjusting for age, sex, obesity, smoking, alcohol, physical activity, income, and antihypertensive medication use. The median age of participants was 40 years and 60.1% were female. The geometric mean blood lead level was 4.73µg/dL, 71.1% had a detectable lead level and 42.3% had a blood lead level ≥5 µg/dL. After multivariable adjustment, lead levels in quartile four (≥6.5 µg/dL) compared with quartile 1 (<3.4 µg/dL) were associated with 2.42 mm Hg (95% CI, 0.36–4.49) higher systolic blood pressure and 1.96 mm Hg (95% CI, 0.56–3.37) higher diastolic blood pressure. In conclusion, widespread environmental lead exposure is evident in urban Haiti, with higher lead levels associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Lead is a current and potentially modifiable pollutant in lower-income countries that warrants urgent public health remediation. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT03892265.

Evaluation of environmental lead exposure in snails from four contaminated sites at abandoned battery factory in Niger Delta, Nigeria

The evaluation of environmental lead exposure in snails from four contaminated sites of entrance, storage, dried effluent and waste dump respectively, at abandoned battery factory (Niger Delta, Nigeria) were investigated Results indicated significant (P<0.05) depressed weights of foot, shell, and offal at elevated lead contamination. The exposure of Achatina achatina snail to lead pollution indicates a pollution warning signal. Contaminated snails are critical pathway for transport of lead along the food chain.

The impact of environmental lead exposure on Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus): Pathological and immunohistochemical studies

This study was carried out to investigate the pathology of environmental lead (Pb) poisoning in Whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus). A number of 12 out 54 swans (22.2%) randomly collected from Honshu, Japan from June 2005 to July 2007 were affected with Pb poisoning. Affected swans showed stained vent with greenish watery diarrhoea and impacted crop. The presence of Pb shots in the gizzard (50%) was confirmed by X-ray, and all cases showed a dark greenish coloured liver. Microscopically, the pathology of Pb poisoning in swans was multisystemic. The severity of the lesions was the highest in the CNS followed by the liver, kidney, spleen, lungs, gizzard, heart, bone marrow respectively and was the least in the peripheral nervous system. CNS lesions were cerebral haemorrhage, malacia, and spongiosis with astrocytic activation and increased neurofilaments accumulations. In addition, there were hepatic and renal hemosiderosis and apoptosis, hepatic granuloma, interstitial pneumonia, gizzard and myocardial necrosis and bone marrow hypoplasia. Chemical analysis of the Pb content in liver and kidneys ranged from 8.18 to 60.6 µg/g, respectively. The extent and severity of lesions varied among individuals and were mostly dose-dependent. Finally, these findings improved the diagnostic procedure of Pb poisoning in free-living Whooper swans.

Study protocol to examine the relationship between environmental exposure to lead and blood lead levels among children from day-care centres in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality

IntroductionLead exposure is toxic to all humans and is very harmful to young children, especially 5-year-olds. Elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) in children have been associated with their daily surrounding environment. This protocol seeks to evaluate the association between environmental lead exposure and BLLs among children in day-care centres, including household and other risk factors.Methods and analysisTo achieve the objectives of the study, we adopted a cross-sectional analytical design. A portable X-ray fluorescence analyser was used for environmental sampling, and BLLs were determined using the LeadCare II machine among preschool children. Household and other risk factors were assessed using a questionnaire. Random sampling was employed to select day-care centres in the municipality and children in each day-care centre. Data will be analysed using SPSS V. 26.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval and permission were obtained prior to commencement of the study. The researcher intends to publish the results in peer-reviewed journals and also to present a paper at a scientific conference. The study will generate information on environmental lead exposure among vulnerable children (2–5 years), and it will promote public health action to prevent long-term exposure in day-care centres.