Does Petroleum Pollution Contribute to Immune Disease in U.S. Black Neighborhoods?
Lupus October 2-9, 2000 (NewsRx.com) — Massachusetts will spend $600,000 to see if petroleum pollution in largely black city neighborhoods contributes to lupus, a potentially deadly immune disease. The research, to be conducted over three years, will target three areas with unusually high levels of petroleum contamination. Recent evidence has been uncovered linking petroleum to a higher risk of developing lupus, according to the state Department of Public Health. More than 180 contaminated sites have been found in the areas to be studied, said Suzanne Condon, the state’s assistant commissioner for environmental health. Lupus is a disorder that causes the body’s own defenses to mistakenly attack the DNA and proteins within healthy cells. Complications include arthritis, blood vessel inflammations, and kidney failure. This article was prepared by Health & Medicine Week editors from staff and other reports. ©Copyright 2000, via NewsRx.com return to OBGYN.net Headline News …
