Risk of occupational radiation-induced cataract in medical workers.

Background: ionizing radiation on the lens of the eye can produce a progressive cataract. Small cumulative doses, over a long time period, can produce adverse effects on the professional capabilities of health workers in the ionizing radiation zone.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to ascertain whether occupational exposure to low levels of ionizing radiation can cause an increase in prevalence of cataract.

Identification of health risks in workers staying and working on the terrains contaminated with depleted uranium.

This study investigated health risks in workers residing and working in terrains contaminated by low ionizing radiation doses which originated from ammunition containing depleted uranium (DU). The studied population was composed of two test groups (T-I, T-II) who were occasionally exposed to DU, and two referent (R-I, R-II) groups not exposed at any time to DU. All of them were evaluated for the following: complete clinical examination and blood count, presence of immature forms and blasts, leukocyte alkaline phosphatase activity and cytogenetic tests.

Chromosomal aberrations in subjects exposed to ionizing radiation.

Occupational exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation is a particularly delicate subject for investigation, due to the cumulative effects of chronic exposure. It is extremely important to consider and to measure the biological response to given conditions of exposure. The aim of this study was to establish possible recovery from DNA damage in subjects professionally exposed to radiation in their working area by examinations for chromosomal aberrations (CA) at two different times.

Health investigations of depleted-uranium clean-up workers.

Background: The soil contaminated by depleted uranium (238U) ammunition during the NATO bombing of Serbia and Montenegro was cleaned-up for four months in 2002. A team of 11 clean-up workers (expert members) were medically examined three times: before decontamination as a preliminary medical check-up, immediately after decontamination, and four years after cleaning up contaminated ground.

Objectives: This short report presents investigations and health risk assessments of clean-up workers in radioactive decontamination operations and an assessment of the environmental health perspectives for citizens living in surrounding areas.

Case report: Iridium 192-health effects during 20 years after irradiation.

This Case Report has presented health effects of high level of irradiation with gamma rays from Ir 192m on the patient M. L. during 21 years after the accident.

Frequency of chromosomal lesions and damaged lymphocytes of workers occupationally exposed to x rays.

This paper analyzes the effects of x rays on workers exposed to radiation. In particular, this paper documents the emergence and frequency of non-specific chromosomal lesions with characteristic chromosomal aberrations and the number of damaged lymphocytes before, during, and after occupational exposure. Chromosomal changes were analyzed taking into consideration duration of exposure, dose, age, and sex.

Changes in leukocytes caused by tritium contamination.

Tritium is a radionuclide uniformly absorbed by the body. The purpose of cytomorphological and cytochemical leukocytes examination in tritium-affected workers was early detection of initial health disorder caused by tritium contamination. Cytoplasm and nuclear morphological changes were analyzed by colored blood smear microscopy.

Examination of the health status of populations from depleted-uranium-contaminated regions.

During the NATO air strikes on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) in 1999, depleted-uranium ammunition was used on 112 locations, mainly Kosovo, in the south of Serbia, and one location in Montenegro. Blood samples of residents from depleted-uranium-contaminated areas were gathered and blood cell and chromosomal aberrations were analyzed. During the last 3 years blood samples from 21 residents of Kosovo (Strpce), from 29 residents from the south of Serbia (the Vranje and Bujanovac regions), and from 19 technical television workers from the site of Pljackovica, in the vicinity of Vranje, were collected.