Assessment of Mercury Exposure and Malaria in a Brazilian Amazon Riverine Community

Crompton, Peter D.; Ventura, Ana Maria Revorêdo da Silva; Souza, José Maria de; Santos, Elisabeth Conceição de Oliveira; Strickland, G. Thomas; Silbergeld, Ellen K.

doi:10.1006/enrs.2002.4358

Cited by 57 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…26 Others have suggested that the mercury toxicity may be associated with an increased immunologic susceptibility to malaria, 44 and exposure to mercury during gold mining has been associated with malaria prevalence, 45 although the potential causality of this association is still unclear. Increased levels of mercury 46 and mercury genotoxicity were observed in illegal gold miners from MdD and Peru overall, 47 but this theory still requires further empiric validation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unstable Malaria Transmission in the Southern Peruvian Amazon and Its Association with Gold Mining, Madre de Dios, 2001–2012

Sánchez

Carnero

Rivera

et al. 2017

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. The reemergence of malaria in the last decade in Madre de Dios, southern Peruvian Amazon basin, was accompanied by ecological, political, and socioeconomic changes related to the proliferation of illegal gold mining. We conducted a secondary analysis of passive malaria surveillance data reported by the health networks in Finally, health facilities located > 1 km from the Interoceanic Highway reported significantly more cases than health facilities within this distance (ratio = 16.20, 95% CI = 8.25, 31.80). Transmission of malaria in Madre de Dios is unstable, geographically heterogeneous, and strongly associated with illegal gold mining. These findings highlight the importance of spatially oriented interventions to control malaria in Madre de Dios, as well as the need for research on malaria transmission in illegal gold mining camps. BACKGROUND

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unstable Malaria Transmission in the Southern Peruvian Amazon and Its Association with Gold Mining, Madre de Dios, 2001–2012

Sánchez

Carnero

Rivera

et al. 2017

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…At the gold-mining camp, Rio-Rato in the state of Pará, the population was directly involved in small-scale artisanal gold mining operations, resulting in high exposures to elemental mercury as described elsewhere (Crompton et al 2002; Silva et al 2004). For the referent population, we utilized samples from diamond miners from regions of Davinopolis and Sao Antonia Rio Verde and emerald miners from Campo Verde-Itaobi and Campo Verde-Vereador, all located in the state of Goías.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel biomarkers of mercury-induced autoimmune dysfunction: A cross-sectional study in Amazonian Brazil

Motts

Shirley

Silbergeld

et al. 2014

Environmental Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mercury is an ubiquitous environmental contaminant, causing both neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity. Given its ability to amalgamate gold, mercury is frequently used in small-scale artisanal gold mining. We have previously reported that elevated serum titers of antinuclear autoantibodies (ANA) are associated with mercury exposures of miners in gold mining. The goal of this project was to identify novel serum biomarkers of mercury-induced immunotoxicity and autoimmune dysregulation. We conducted an analysis of serum samples from a cross-sectional epidemiological study on miners working in Amazonian Brazil. In proteomic screening analyses, samples were stratified based on mercury concentrations and ANA titer and a subset of serum samples (N=12) were profiled using Immune Response Biomarker Profiling ProtoArray protein microarray for elevated autoantibodies. Of the up-regulated autoantibodies in the mercury-exposed cohort, potential target autoantibodies were selected based on relevance to pro-inflammatory and macrophage activation pathways. ELISAs were developed to test the entire sample cohort (N=371) for serum titers to the highest of these autoantibodies (anti-glutathione S-transferase alpha, GSTA1) identified in the high mercury/high ANA group. We found positive associations between elevated mercury exposure and up-regulated serum titers of 3760 autoantibodies as identified by ProtoArray. Autoantibodies identified as potential novel biomarkers of mercury-induced immunotoxicity include antibodies to the following proteins: GSTA1, tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 13, linker for activation of T cells, signal peptide peptidase like 2B, stimulated by retinoic acid 13, and interferon induced transmembrane protein. ELISA analyses confirmed that mercury-exposed gold miners had significantly higher serum titers of anti-GSTA1 autoantibody [unadjusted odds ratio = 89.6; 95% confidence interval: 27.2, 294.6] compared to emerald miners (referent population). Mercury exposure was associated with increased titers of several autoantibodies in serum including anti-GSTA1. These proteins play a wide variety of roles, including as antioxidants, in the regulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, as well as danger and oxidative stress signaling. Dysregulation of these proteins and pathways is believed to play a role in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, and multiple sclerosis. Taken together, these results suggest that mercury exposure can induce complex autoimmune dysfunction and the immunotoxic effects of this dysfunction may be measured by serum titers to autoantibodies such as anti-GSTA1.

show abstract

“…Some Amazonian riverine populations have high hair mercury levels, attributed to a diet based on fish, the main source of protein 31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40 . Current international efforts (UNIDO, IBRD, USEPA) to lower mercury emissions or replace mercury with harmless substances are expected to reduce methylmercury accumulation in aquatic ecosystems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An overview of mercury contamination research in the Amazon basin with an emphasis on Brazil

et al. 2008

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Assessment of Mercury Exposure and Malaria in a Brazilian Amazon Riverine Community

Cited by 57 publications

References 21 publications

Unstable Malaria Transmission in the Southern Peruvian Amazon and Its Association with Gold Mining, Madre de Dios, 2001–2012

Unstable Malaria Transmission in the Southern Peruvian Amazon and Its Association with Gold Mining, Madre de Dios, 2001–2012

Novel biomarkers of mercury-induced autoimmune dysfunction: A cross-sectional study in Amazonian Brazil

An overview of mercury contamination research in the Amazon basin with an emphasis on Brazil

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About