Chernobyl linked to autoimmune disease
Children exposed to fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident have developed autoimmune thyroid abnormalities at seven times the rate of children living upwind of the reaction.
References:
Pacini, F., et al. 1998. Prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies in children and adolescents from Belarus exposed to the Chernobyl radioactive fallout. Lancet 352(Sept. 5):763.
Further Readings:
1995. Tea: Chernobyls lingering legacy. Science News 147(Jan. 14):26.
Raloff, J. 1995. Chernobyls fallout: Childhood cancers. Science News 147(June 17):381.
Sternberg, S. 1996. Radiation damages Chernobyl children. Science News 149(April 27):260.
Sources:
Furio Pacini
University of Pisa
Institute of Endocrinology
Via Paradisa 2
56124 Pisa
Italy
From Science News, Vol. 154, No. 14, October 3, 1998,
p. 216.
Copyright Ó 1998 by Science Service.
10/3/98
copyright 1998 ScienceService