Publication Laka-library:
Environmental Health Policy: Heritable anomalies among the inhabitants of regions of normal and high background radiation in Kerala: results of a cohort study, 1988-1994 (2004)
| Author | V.T.Padmanabhan |
 | - |
| Date | 2004 |
| Classification | 4.03.5.10/02 (INDIA - URANIUM MINING) |
| Front | 
|
From the publication:
Environmental Health Policy
HERITABLE ANOMALIES AMONG THE INHABITANTS OF REGIONS OF NORMAL AND HIGH BACKGROUND
RADIATION IN KERALA: RESULTS OF A COHORT STUDY, 1988-1994
V. T. Padmanabhan, A. P. Sugunan, C. K. Brahmaputhran, K. Nandini,
and K. Pavithran
In a genetic epidemiological and fertility survey among 70,000 inhabitants in a
high-background radiation region (HBRR) and normal radiation region (NRR) in
Kerala, India, 985 persons were found to have heritable anomalies. Suggested
etiologies for the anomalies were chromosomal and Mendelian, 15 percent;
multifactorial, 60 percent; and congenital, 25 percent. There was a statistically
significant increase of Down syndrome, autosomal dominant anomalies, and
multifactorial diseases and an insignificant increase of autosomal recessive and
X-linked recessive anomalies in the HBRR. The total fertility rate was 3.85 per
couple; 9 percent of live-born children were reported dead. The rate of untoward
pregnancy outcome--death of the offspring or presence of an anomaly in a living
child-was 6.4 percent among the unrelated couples in the NRR, with one spouse born
outside the area of current residence ("migrant"). Considering this as the base, the
excess relative risks in the other groups are: "NRR-nonmigrant," 35 percent;
"HBRR-nonmigrant," 69 percent; "NRR-consanguineous," 76 percent; and
"NBRR-consanguineous," 157 percent. Ionizing radiation, consanguinity, and
nearness of birthplace of the spouse are risk factors for the death of offspring and
for anomalies. The higher risk among the "nonmigrant" couples may be due to
geographic inbreeding. The findings are suggestive of an autosomal recessive
etiology for the majority of the multifactorial anomalies.
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