Assessment of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in peripheral lymphocytes from tunisian hospital workers exposed to ionizing radiation.

Epidemiological studies suggest that cytogenetic biomarkers, such as micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes may predict cancer risk because they indicate genomic instability. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the frequencies of MN and chromosome aberrations (CA) in peripheral blood lymphocytes of hospital workers exposed to ionizing radiation and healthy subjects. The study was conducted using peripheral blood lymphocytes from 30 workers from the radiology department and 30 from the cardiology department.

Interplay of socio-economic factors, consanguinity, fertility, and offspring mortality in Monastir, Tunisia.

Aim: To assess the association among social status, prevalence of consanguineous marriages, and the effects of consanguinity on reproductive behavior and mortality in Tunisia.

Methods: The study included data on a total of 1741 live-births born from November 1989 to October 1990 in the maternity ward of the University-Hospital Fattouma Bourguiba of Monastir, Tunisia. After delivery, women filled out a questionnaire on the age of the parents at marriage, the number of pregnancies and abortions, the number of neonatal and post-neonatal deaths, and deaths of children under 5 years.