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Medical problems raised by the TCDD contamination in Seveso, Italy

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Abstract

The Seveso accident, where TCDD was produced and released on an urban area, raised several medical problems linked with the non-specificity of the clinical features of the effects from the exposure and the wide variety and severity of lesions and symptoms caused by this toxin in the animal experiment. The assessment of the health hazards had to rely on the detection by chemical analysis of the toxin in the environment and on the definition of an area contaminated by the toxin. Evacuation of the population was the only possible preventive measure for precluding or at least strongly reducing further exposure. Of the known clinical symptoms of the TCDD toxic effects on humans, the typical skin lesions (chloracne) appeared almost only in children and young people. The degree and intensity was mild and spontaneous healing occurred in the majority of the cases.

Transient decrease of the lymphocytes and passing signs of impairment of the liver functions have been detected by the immediately established monitoring of the health condition of the population. No overt pathology of the liver, the kidney, the blood reproductive organs, the central and peripheral nervous system, the carbohydrate, fat and porphyrin metabolism has been registered up to now.

Close control and thorough examination of the current pregnancies and their outcome did not reveal any embryotoxic or teratogenic effect imputable to the chemical.

Comparing the picture of the medical injuries caused by the Seveso accident with that of similar accidents occurred in the past in USA and Europe, both in respect of the short as well as long term toxicity, one should conclude that the TCDD exposure in Seveso has been less severe than in the previous accidents.

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  1. Clinical Research, F. Hoffmann-La Roche & Co., Grenzacher Straße 124, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland

    G. Reggiani

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Reggiani, G. Medical problems raised by the TCDD contamination in Seveso, Italy. Arch. Toxicol. 40, 161–188 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00364649

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