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Connection between soil contamination in Japan and disease frequency

Correlation between infectious disease and soil radiation in Japan: an exploratory study using national sentinel surveillance data

S. INAIDA ^(a1), T. TSUDA ^(a2) and S. MATSUNO ^(a3)

• • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268816003034
  • Published online: 16 January 2017

We investigated the relationship between epidemics and soil radiation through an exploratory study using sentinel surveillance data (individuals aged <20 years) during the last three epidemic seasons of influenza and norovirus in Japan. We used a spatial analysis method of a geographical information system (GIS). We mapped the epidemic spreading patterns from sentinel incidence rates. We calculated the average soil radiation [dm (μGy/h)] for each sentinel site using data on uranium, thorium, and potassium oxide in the soil and examined the incidence rate in units of 0·01 μGy/h. The correlations between the incidence rate and the average soil radiation were assessed. Epidemic clusters of influenza and norovirus infections were observed in areas with relatively high radiation exposure. A positive correlation was detected between the average incidence rate and radiation dose, at r = 0·61–0·84 (P < 0·01) for influenza infections and r = 0·61–0·72 (P < 0·01) for norovirus infections. An increase in the incidence rate was found between areas with radiation exposure of 0 < dm < 0·01 and 0·15 ⩽ dm < 0·16, at 1·80 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1·47–2·12] times higher for influenza infection and 2·07 (95% CI 1·53–2·61) times higher for norovirus infection. Our results suggest a potential association between decreased immunity and irradiation because of soil radiation. Further studies on immunity in these epidemic-prone areas are desirable.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/article/div-classtitlecorrelation-between-infectious-disease-and-soil-radiation-in-japan-an-exploratory-study-using-national-sentinel-surveillance-datadiv/A0ABF10E2D714E2A8E387EDA2FBE99F0#fndtn-information

January 30, 2017 - Posted by arclight2011part2 | Uncategorized