Document Detail


Epidemiology of endemic goitre in western Colombia.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  80287     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
This paper reports on recent epidemiological observations in western Colombia, which further demonstrate the presence of naturally-occurring goitrogens contaminating water supplies in areas where goitre persists despite prolonged and continuous iodine supplementation. 'Prospective' and 'cross-sectional' studies in 41 localities where the populations have been on a uniform and adequate iodine supplementation for the last 10-20 years indicate that, in the endemia of western Colombia, environmental factors other than nutritional iodine deficiency are responsible for differences in goitre prevalence. Further epidemiological studies to determine the causal factors for the persistence of the endemia established a correlation between the sources of drinking water and goitre prevalence rates. Organic compounds containing sulfur with marked thionamide-like antithyroid activity were isolated from water supplying endemic goitre districts, and results are presented supporting the hypothesis that sedimentary rocks rich in organic matter are the main source of water-borne goitrogens. Bacteriological investigations showed that the presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae in drinking water and bacterial concentration were related significantly with goitre prevalence only in the presence of other variables, particularly the presence of sedimentary rocks. In the light of these epidemiological observations and experimental studies it may be concluded that, at present, endemic goitre in western Colombia is not due to nutritional iodine deficiency, but that water supplies are contaminated with sulfur-bearing organic compounds with thionamide-like antithyroid activity most probably deriving from sedimentary rocks rich in organic matter and that these compounds are the main factor underlying the endemia.
Authors:
E Gaitan; H Merino; G Rodriguez; P Medina; J D Meyer; T A DeRouen; R MacLennan
Related Documents :
22059097 - Report on the international primary neurosurgical life support course in the eighth asi...
11651427 - Ethical dilemmas of cervical cancer screening.
9565337 - International society of andrology and international union of pure and applied chemistr...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Bulletin of the World Health Organization     Volume:  56     ISSN:  0042-9686     ISO Abbreviation:  Bull. World Health Organ.     Publication Date:  1978  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1978-11-18     Completed Date:  1978-11-18     Revised Date:  2010-10-26    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7507052     Medline TA:  Bull World Health Organ     Country:  SWITZERLAND    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  403-16     Citation Subset:  IM    
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Antithyroid Agents / adverse effects*
Child
Colombia
Female
Geological Phenomena
Geology
Goiter, Endemic / epidemiology*,  etiology,  urine
Humans
Iodine / urine
Male
Water Supply*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Antithyroid Agents; 7553-56-2/Iodine
Comments/Corrections

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Experience with a technic using basic fuchsin for the demonstration of early myocardial ischemia
Next Document:  Nomenclature for factors of the HLA system, 1977.