|
|
|
Health Information
|
Thursday, January 08, 2009
|
|
Find
more information about this topic from either the Web or the world's best
medical journals by using the search boxes at the top of this page.
|
| |
Environmental
Diseases
from A to Z
...continued
A to Z, a2z, a to z, A to Z, a2z, a to z,
A to Z, a2z, a to z, A to Z, a2z, a to z, |
 |
Vision Problems
Our eyes are especially
sensitive to the environment. Gases found in polluted air
can irritate the eyes and produce a burning sensation. Tiny
particles from smoke and soot can also cause redness and
itching of the eyes. Airborne organisms like molds and fungus
can cause infections of the eyes and eyelids. Too much exposure
to the sun's rays can eventually produce a clouding of the
lens called a cataract.
|
 |
Waterborne Diseases
Even our
clearest streams, rivers, and lakes can contain chemical pollutants.
Heavy metals like lead and mercury can produce severe organ
damage. Some chemicals can interfere with the development
of organs and tissues, causing birth defects. Others can cause
normal cells to become cancerous. Some of our waterways also
contain human and animal wastes. The bacteria in the wastes
can cause high fever, cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.
Xeroderma
Pigmentosa (zero-DER-muh pig-men-TOSE-uh)
Xeroderma
is a rare condition that people inherit from their parents.
When these people are exposed to direct sunlight, their skin
breaks out into tiny dark spots that look like freckles. If
this condition is not treated, the spots can become cancerous.
These areas must then be removed by a surgeon.
Yusho Poisoning
In
1968, more than one thousand people in western Japan became
seriously ill. They suffered from fatigue, headache, cough,
numbness in the arms and legs, and unusual skin sores. Pregnant
women later delivered babies with birth defects. These people
had eaten food that was cooked in contaminated rice oil. Toxic
chemicals called PCB's (polychlorinated biphenyls) had accidentally
leaked into the oil during the manufacturing process. Health
experts now refer to this illness as "Yusho," which means,
"oil disease."
For
years, PCB's were widely used in the manufacturing of paints,
plastics and electrical equipment. When scientists discovered
that low levels of PCB's could kill fish and other wildlife,
their use was dramatically reduced. By this time, PCB's were
already leaking into the environment from waste disposal sites
and other sources. Today, small amounts of these compounds
can still be found in our air, water, soil and some of the
foods we eat.
 |
Zinc Deficiency/Zinc
Poisoning
Zinc is a mineral
that the body needs to function properly. In rare cases,
people can be poisoned if there is too much zinc in their
food or water. However most people can take in large quantities
without any harmful effects. In areas where nutrition
is a problem, people may not get enough zinc from their
diet. This can lead to retarded growth, skin sores, baldness,
infertility and lower resistance to infections.
|
Back
National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences
National Institutes of Health
|
|
|
.gif)
