Selenium, iodine and fungal contamination in Yulin District (People's Republic of China) endemic for Kashin-Beck disease

We studied the status of selenium, iodine and fungal contamination in 353 school children (age 5-14 years) from four rural villages in the District of Yulin. In three villages Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) was endemic, whereas there were no cases of KBD in the fourth village. Clinical, biological and radiological examinations (right hand) were performed and KBD was established by X-ray diagnosis. The prevalence rate of KBD was 30.2%, 44.2% and 45.3% in the three endemic villages. Mean hair selenium and urine iodine concentrations were lower in affected than in unaffected children and fungal contamination in cereal grains stored in families with KBD was more elevated than in families without KBD. Low hair selenium concentration and presence of fungal cereal contamination were significantly associated with an increased risk of KBD, but low urine iodine was not.     

Selenium Deficiency a Factor in Endemic Goiter Persistence in Sub-Saharan Africa

Background  

Goiter is still common in Uganda, despite the present iodized salt coverage of at least 95%. Where there is endemic goiter after adequate iodine supplementation, selenium deficiency could be a factor for the continued occurrence of goiter. The objectives of the present study, therefore, were to determine the serum selenium levels among goitrous patients and nongoitrous controls and to determine the association between goiter and selenium levels among these patients.     

Epidemiological support for a multifactorial aetiology of Kashin-Beck disease in Tibet

We carried out a cross-sectional study in 12 rural villages in order to identify the risk factors for Kashin-Beck disease in Tibet. Children aged 5-15 years (n=575) were examined and their corresponding houses were visited. Samples were collected in order to study fungal contamination of stored grain and the organic matter content of drinking water. Multivariate analysis was performed using logistic regression and population attributable fractions were computed to estimate the impact of each factor. The following variables were independently associated with the disease: age, gender, low socio-economic status, indicators of a poorly diversified diet, iodine deficiency and small water container size (with higher organic matter levels in small containers). Selenium deficiency was severe in all study subjects. The degree of fungal contamination of barley grain was related to the highest percentage of cases (65%) in a sample of the study population. Higher urinary iodine levels were not associated with decreasing prevalence rates when Alternaria sp. was isolated. The data that we report supports the hypothesis that Kashin-Beck disease occurs as a consequence of oxidative damage to cartilage and bone cells when associated with decreased antioxidant defence. Another mechanism that may coexist is bone remodelling stimulated by thyroid hormones whose actions can be blocked by certain mycotoxins.     

Changes in thyroid surgery during iodine prophylaxis of endemic goiter

The present report is based on 13,778 patients who had thyroid surgery between 1952 and 1980. Until 1971, western Austria was considered an endemic goiter area (school children goiter incidence 50% in 1963), but with the advent of iodized salt in 1963, the goiter incidence has decreased to 13% in preadolescents in recent years. This change in thyroid pathology was accompanied by a decrease in weight of removed thyroids (mean, 125 g→95 g) with a relative increase of hyperthyroid goiters (8.6%→43.6%) and of thyroid cancer in the surgical series (2.6%→6.8%), while the overall rate of interventions decreased only slightly. Surgery for recurrent goiters is rare now (6.2%) while it was considered a problem in previous years (16%). Histological patterns of thyroid cancer have shown a shift to more differentiated, and therefore more treatable, cancer types. The TNM classification has changed also, with 39.1% T₂N₁M₀ cases now versus only 29% in this prognostically better group before 1971. In conclusion, this study indicates that during iodine prophylaxis for endemic goiter, thyroid surgery will retain its significance in the treatment of thyroid disease but that a different therapeutic approach becomes necessary as a result of significant changes in thyroid pathology. Nodular goiters developing under adequate iodine supply require a much more aggressive therapy than those observed in iodine deficient areas.     

Effects of selenium and iodine deficiency on bone, cartilage growth plate and chondrocyte differentiation in two generations of rats

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current study was to investigate the roles of combined selenium and iodine deficiency in bone development as a possible experimental model of Kashin-Beck osteoarthropathy. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats (n=48) were randomly divided into selenium deficiency (-Se+I), iodine deficiency (+Se-I), combined selenium and iodine deficiency (-Se-I), and selenium and iodine sufficient (+Se+I) groups. Growth of bone and cartilage, and the expression of type X collagen (ColX) and parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) were measured in two generations of rats (F(0) and F(1)). RESULTS: The tibial length in -Se-I rats was significantly shorter in F(1) generation. In +Se-I of F(1) rats, the thickness of the growth plate cartilage, and the proliferative zone was smaller, while in -Se-I rats the growth plate, and the proliferative and hypertrophic zones were also thinner in F(1) generation. In articular cartilage, ColX expression was increased in the deep zone in -Se-I rats of F(0) generation, and in -Se+I, +Se-I and -Se-I rats of F(1) generation. PTHrP expression was increased in the middle zone of -Se+I, +Se-I and -Se-I rats of both F(0) and F(1) generations. In the growth plate cartilage, ColX and PTHrP were expressed in the hypertrophic zone. ColX expression was significantly weaker in -Se+I and -Se-I rats in both F(0) and F(1) generations, while PTHrP expression was stronger in -Se+I, +Se-I and -Se-I rats in both F(0) and F(1) animals. CONCLUSIONS: Combined selenium and iodine deficiency impaired the growth of bone and cartilage. The changes in the expression of ColX and PTHrP induced by combined selenium and iodine deficiency were compatible to measurements of ColX and PTHrP in Kashin-Beck osteoarthropathy.     

Severe Bone Deformities in Young Children From Vitamin D Deficiency and Fluorosis in Bihar-India

A case-control study was undertaken to understand the etiopathology of the bone deformities among young children in a fluoride-affected village of the Bihar State. Two villages were selected: one village with high fluoride in drinking water (7.9 ± 4.15 ppm), and the other village with normal levels of fluoride (0.6 ± 0.31 ppm) as the control village. The source of drinking water was bore wells in both the villages. Two hundred and forty subjects from 54 households (HHs) of the high-fluoride village (HFV) and 1443 subjects from 197 HHs of the control village were selected for the study. Dental mottling (DM) was observed in 50% and skeletal deformities of various forms were observed in 20% of the total population of HFV, whereas, in the control village, DM was 6% and skeletal deformities were absent. The prevalence of both, DM and skeletal deformities was high in the younger age group of 1.5 to 14 years. Genu valgum, genu varum, bowing of tibia, saber shin, and widening of the lower ends of long bones at the wrist were the typical skeletal deformities observed among affected children in the HFV. X-rays of the children with deformities revealed varying degrees of bending of bones and enlargement of epiphyseal ends of metaphyses with fraying of bone and ligamental calcification. A survey indicated significantly low calcium and high phosphorus intake among the population of the HFV as compared to that of the control village, possibly resulting from low intake of milk and high intake of potatoes, respectively. The mean urinary fluoride level was significantly higher in the children of the HPV, both with and without deformities, as compared to that of the control village. The mean serum 25 OHD₃ (25 HYDROXY Vitamin D) and calcium levels were significantly lower and alkaline phophatase activity was significantly higher among the children with deformities as compared to those without deformities from the HFV and the control village. Serum intact parathyroid hormone (IPTH) levels were high in children both with and without deformities in the HFV as compared to those in the control village. No significant differences were observed in the concentration of serum and urinary creatinine, and Cu, and Mg levels between the HFV and the control village. It can be concluded that some of the children from the HFV manifested severe bone deformities (rickets), which were confirmed by the existence of low serum calcium and vitamin D levels.     

Limiting the Impacts of Foot and Mouth Disease in Large Ruminants in Northern Lao People’s Democratic Republic by Vaccination: A Case Study

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is the most important global transboundary livestock disease and is endemic in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) with outbreaks occurring regularly. Lao PDR shares borders with five countries and as a major thoroughfare for transboundary livestock movement, is vulnerable to the social and economic impacts of FMD. The FMD outbreak occurred in January 2009 in the Pek District, located in the north‐eastern Lao PDR province of Xieng Khuang and involved all 111 villages in that district. In March 2009, we conducted a case study on the impacts of FMD in four villages in Pek District. In two villages cattle and buffalo were vaccinated for FMD recently and prior to the outbreak as part of an ongoing research project. In one of these villages, all cattle and buffalo were vaccinated and just over half the large ruminant population was vaccinated in the other village. The other two villages involved in the case study were located nearby but not part of the ongoing research project and no animals had been vaccinated. Data were collected from the four villages by interviewing the village animal health worker in each village using a standard questionnaire. Morbidity rates for the fully vaccinated village were 1% and 7.9% for the partially vaccinated village and were much lower compared with the two adjacent, unvaccinated villages where morbidity rates were 61% and 74.3% respectively. Estimates of the financial losses incurred were USD 1.7–1.9 per cow or buffalo for the fully vaccinated village, USD 6.9–8.1 for the partly vaccinated village and 52.4–70.8 USD in the unvaccinated villages, providing evidence that a large opportunity cost is incurred by failing to vaccinate in areas where the risk of FMD incursions is high.     

Evaluating the utility of national‐scale data to estimate the local risk of foot‐and‐mouth disease in endemic regions

Knowledge of the distribution of foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) is required if control programmes are to be successful. However, data on the seroprevalence and incidence of affected villages in developing countries with endemic disease are scarce. This is partly due to resource constraints as well as the logistical challenges of conducting intensive surveys and diagnostic testing in remote locations. In this study, we evaluated the performance of low resolution national‐scale data against high resolution local survey data to predict the FMD serological status of 168 villages in the Mandalay and Sagaing Regions of central Myanmar using both logistic regression and random forest modelling approaches. Blood samples for ELISA testing were collected from approximately 30 cattle per village in both the 6 to 18 month age range and in the over 18 month age range to distinguish between recent and historical exposure, respectively. The results of the animal level tests were aggregated to the village level to provide the outcome of interest (village positive or not positive for FMD), and three explanatory data sets were constructed: using only nationally available data, using only data collected by survey and using the combined survey and nationally available data. The true seroprevalence of FMD at the village level was 61% when only young animals were included, but increased to 87% when all animals were included. The best performing model was a logistic regression model using the combined national and survey data to predict recent infection in villages. However, this still incorrectly classified 40% of villages, which suggests that using national‐level data were not reliable enough for extrapolating seroprevalence in regions where conducting detailed surveys is impractical. Other methods for collected data on FMD such as the use of local reporting should be explored.     

Molecular aetiology of nodular goitre -- consequences for therapy?

Up to 15 % of the adult German population display an enlarged thyroid gland and up to 30 % present thyroid nodules. Iodine deficiency is the most important factor in the etiology of nodular goiter. Insulin-like growth factor-I is overexpressed in thyroids in severely iodine deficient areas. There is evidence that iodolactones are mediators of thyroid hormone autoregulation. However familial and twin studies demonstrated a genetic component in the etiology of nodular goiter. Linkage analysis identified two chromosomal regions (MNG-1, Xp 22) in multinodular goiter. Other possible candidate genes or markers such as TG, TPO, NIS, PDS and TSH-R were not identified. Nodular goiter certainly comprises a number of genotypes. TSH receptor mutations result in activation of the cAMP cascade. Cells with a constitutively activated cAMP cascade have an increased growth advantage due to their TSH independent cAMP stimulation. Alimentary iodine supply should be the first choice in primary prevention of nodular thyroid disease in iodine deficient areas, because prevalence of nodular goiter is negative correlated with individual iodine status in epidemiological surveys. Surgical removal of nodular goiters should include nearly the hold thyroid tissue to avoid recurrent goiter.     

Diagnostic, clinical and radiological characteristics of Kashin-Beck disease in Shaanxi Province, PR China

Twenty clinical symptoms and four radiological signs of different joints in patients with Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) were studied in 2,560 subjects from endemic and non-endemic areas of the Shaanxi Province in China. It is suggested to classify the symptoms into five groups representing different manifestations of the disease. The association of some of the symptoms appears to provide significant criteria for use in the diagnosis of KBD.     

An etiological approach to Balkan endemic nephropathy based on the investigation of two genetically different populations

The direct inheritance as a possible etiologic factor of Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) has been studied in an endemic area in the district of Slavonski Brod (Croatia-Yugoslavia). The basis for the investigation was given by a natural experiment induced by immigration of people from Ukraina to the endemic and nonendemic areas near Slavonski Brod. 1,536 persons in endemic villages and 733 inhabitants from the villages, where BEN has not been found, were studied with the aim of establishing diagnosis or excluding BEN. The generally adopted criteria enabling to classify the examined persons into the following 3 groups have been used: (a) diseased of BEN; (b) suspect to be diseased of BEN, and (c) individuals without signs of a renal disease. In the endemic villages among the population of Croatian aborigines, 12,1% diseased and suspects have been revealed. Among the Ukrainian immigrants and their offsprings, 10.5% diseased and suspects have been found. The difference is not significant (t = 0.7, p greater than 0.05). On the other hand, in nonendemic villages there were no diseased nor suspect BEN patients among the indigenous people as well as among the Ukrainians. The inference is suggested that the factors of the direct inheritance do not play a decisive role in the etiopathogenesis of BEN.     

浙江省流动人口血吸虫感染情况抽样调查及分析

目的了解浙江省流动人口血吸虫感染情况,为制订血吸虫病防治策略提供科学依据。方法采用分层整群随机抽样法抽取19个县129个村,各调查县收集流动人口基本信息,调查来自血吸虫病疫情未控制县和疫情回升县人口与流动人口的构成比。各调查村抽取来自上述疫区人群中6～65岁流动人口100人,进行问卷调查和间接红细胞凝集试验（IHA）检查。IHA阳性者再以尼龙绢集卵孵化结合沉渣镜检法检查粪便。采用SPSS13．0统计软件对调查数据进行处理和分析。结果共收集流动人群信息3357420人,其中来自疫情未控制和疫情回升县人数303219人,占9．03％。IHA检查13898人,阳性率为2．06％（286／13898）。对276例血清学阳性者进行粪检,查出病原学阳性者7例,阳性率为2．52％（7／276）。根据来自疫区流动人群构成比及血清学、病原学调查结果推算血吸虫病血清学阳性人数约为3．35万人,病原学阳性人数约为845人。结论浙江省有血吸虫病患者输入,存在m吸虫病重新传播流行威胁。     

Serum selenium level as a diagnostic parameter in breast cancer]

The level of selenium in blood serum was determined in 33 patients with breast cancer, 13 women with verified mastopathy, and 43 healthy subjects from the Zagreb area. In the second and third quartiles the values of selenium obtained from sick subjects (41-58 micrograms/l) and healthy subjects (73-89 micrograms/l) differed significantly (p less than 0.001). In the group of subjects with mastopathy, serum selenium in the same way ranged from 67-70 micrograms/l and did not differ significantly from the group of healthy women, but differed significantly from the patients with breast cancer (p less than 0.001). Such a result leads to the conclusion that determination of selenium in the blood could be used as a noninvasive diagnostic parameter in clinical assessment of malignant breast disease.     

The prevalence of thyroid disorders in a middle-aged female population, with special reference to the solitary thyroid nodule

A survey of thyroid disease was conducted in 477 middle-aged women selected at random in an urban area where goiter is not endemic. The overall occurrence of thyroid disease was estimated to be 16.2%. Previously known disease was reported by 6.7% of those surveyed, and an additional 9.5% were diagnosed in the present study. The prevalence of all goiter was 11.3%, and of a palpable solitary nodule, 6.5%. Women with goiter were examined by thyroid scintigraphy and fine-needle aspiration cytology. The results of these examinations combined with the conventional clinical examination were considered a sufficient basis for benign diagnosis in all cases except one, a woman with a solitary nodule who was surgically treated because the cytologic report indicated follicular neoplasm; histopathology, however, revealed colloid goiter. The accumulated incidence of hyperthyroidism was 2.3% and of hypothyroidism 0.8%. It is concluded that goiter is a common disorder among women living in non-endemic areas, and that most goiter, including palpable solitary nodules, can be classified after evaluation as multinodular goiter.     

22. Die blande Struma - Indikation zur Operation vom Standpunkt des Endokrinologen

Summary Surgical treatment can be justified already for nontoxic goiter stage I (WHO) because of tracheal stenosis. Surgery for cosmetic reasons may be adequate, if treatment with thyroid hormones is neither successful nor promising. Diagnostic (histologic) or prophylactic reasons are today the most frequent causes for surgery, in order to detect or avoid thyroid malignancies. — Iodine prophylaxis is advocated in the Federal Republic of Germany, where iodine deficiency and endemic goiter (15 %) are still prevalent.     

A 4-year study of the mycological aspects of Kashin-Beck disease in Tibet

In order to clarify the association between mycotoxin-producing fungi in food and Kashin-Beck disease (KBD), we examined the occurrence and contamination levels of fungi in samples of barley grain, from KBD-affected families and from unaffected families in endemic areas. A control area without the occurrence of KBD served as reference. The first results obtained in 1995 showed that total mesophilic fungal contamination of barley grain was consistently higher in families with KBD. Trichothecium roseum (Pers) Link ex gray, Dreschlera Ito and Alternaria Nees ex Fr. were the three most common fungi significantly associated with KBD. In 1996 we again observed a significant difference between affected and non-affected families, especially with Trichothecium roseum and Ulocladium Preuss. On this basis, measures to prevent KBD were suggested and a preventive program has been set up since 1998 in 20 new villages.     

全民普遍食盐加碘后广西地区甲状腺疾病谱的变迁

目的分析实行全民普遍食盐加碘前后广西沿海、山区等不同碘环境下甲状腺疾病谱变迁的特点,探讨普遍食盐加碘对甲状腺疾病谱的影响。方法收集广西南宁、桂林、百色及北海4城市的解放军三。三医院、解放军一八一医院、广西右江民族医学院附属医院及北海市人民医院1991年1月至2006年12月期间经手术治疗的甲状腺疾病患者共5998例,所有病例均有病理诊断并检测了尿碘水平;另检测同期1000位甲状腺正常人群的尿碘水平作对照。分析普遍食盐加碘前后碘环境的改变与甲状腺疾病谱变迁的关系。结果普遍食盐加碘后,结节性甲状腺肿患者的构成比较加碘前下降（尸〈0．05）,而毒性结节性甲状腺肿、慢性淋巴细胞性甲状腺炎及甲状腺乳头状癌患者的构成比较加碘前增高（P〈0．053;同时,结节性甲状腺肿、毒性弥漫性甲状腺肿、毒性结节性甲状腺肿、慢性淋巴细胞性甲状腺炎及甲状腺乳头状癌患者尿碘水平较加碘前明显增高（P〈0．05）,并且甲状腺疾病患者的尿碘水平高于对照组（P〈0．05）,甲状腺疾病患者及对照组的尿碘水平均较加碘前增高（P〈0．05）。结论全民普遍食盐加碘10年来,广西所调查地区平均尿碘水平及甲状腺疾病谱均发生了明显变化,碘过量可能是导致毒性结节性甲状腺肿、慢性淋巴细胞性甲状腺炎、慢性淋巴细胞性甲状腺炎合并乳头状癌及甲状腺乳头状癌发病率增高的环境因素之一。     

Selenium deficiency-induced growth retardation is associated with an impaired bone metabolism and osteopenia.

Although the importance of selenium for bone metabolism is unknown, some clinical conditions such as Kashin-Beck osteoarthropathy have been associated with selenium deficiency. Although selenium deficiency induces growth retardation in rats, it has not been established whether this growth inhibition is associated with changes in bone metabolism. We investigated the effect of selenium deficiency on bone metabolism in growing male rats fed a selenium-deficient diet for two generations (Se-). In Se- rats, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity and plasma selenium concentration were strongly reduced compared with pair-fed selenium-adequate rats (Se+). Weight and tail length were reduced by 31% and 13% in the Se- rats, respectively (p < 0.001). The Se- diet was associated with a 68% reduction of pituitary growth hormone (GH; p = 0.01) and a 50% reduction of plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I; p < 0.001). Plasma calcium was lower and urinary calcium concentration was greater in Se- rats. This group had a 2-fold increase in parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] in plasma. Plasma osteocalcin and urinary deoxypyridoline were reduced by 25% and 57% in the Se- rats (p < 0.001). Selenium deficiency resulted in a 23% and 21% reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) of the femur and tibia (p < 0.001) and this effect persisted after adjustment for weight in a linear regression model. A 43% reduction in trabecular bone volume of the femoral metaphysis (p < 0.001) was found in Se- rats. This experimental study shows that growth retardation induced by selenium deficiency is associated with impaired bone metabolism and osteopenia in second-generation selenium-deficient rats.     

Thyroid disorders in hemodialysis patients in an iodine-deficient community

There are various changes in the thyroid gland and its function in chronic renal failure (CRF). These changes include lower levels of circulating thyroid hormone, altered peripheral hormone metabolism, decreased binding to carrier proteins, possible reduction in tissue hormone content, and increased iodine storage in the thyroid gland. The decrease of excretion of urinary iodine in CRF increases serum inorganic iodine level and iodine content of the thyroid, which consequently enlarges the gland. This study is designed to investigate the prevalence of goiter and thyroid dysfunction in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD) in an iodine-deficient community. Eighty-seven (40 females and 47 males) HD patients and 169 (79 females and 90 males) healthy individuals as controls are included. Sex ratios for the patient and control groups are 0.85 and 0.88, respectively. Mean ages for the patient and control groups are 42.94 +/- 11.88 and 40.20 +/- 10.72 years, respectively. Examination of the thyroid gland using ultrasonography along with simultaneous measurement of blood levels of free-T4 (FT4), free-T3 (FT3), and thyrotropin (TSH) are made for every individual. The presence of goiter demonstrable by ultrasonography is found in 32.2% of the uremic patients and in 23.5% of the controls and its prevalence increases with age (P = 0.01). In 32 (36.8%) of the patients and 29 (17.1%) of the controls at least one thyroid nodule is found in ultrasonography. Between patients with or without a nodular goiter the authors could not observe any difference for duration of dialysis and serum levels of TSH, FT4, FT3, calcium, and albumin. In ESRD patients the prevalence of nodular goiter is higher for females (47.5% vs. 27.7%, P = 0.045) and increases with age (P = 0.04). Though incidence of hyperthyroidism is found to be similar for the two groups (1.14% in ESRD patients vs. 1.10% in controls), hypothyroidism is observed in 3.4% of ESRD patients but only 0.6% of controls. This high incidence of hypothyroidism and nodular goiter in ESRD patients shows that screening for thyroid dysfunction and goiter, using appropriate laboratory tests and ultrasonography, should be considered in evaluation of every ESRD patient.