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Show It's in pipes, water, dM,food,xm- - cmd it's poison by A1 renovate your home without the proper removal ot lead based paint, you could . expose your whole family to lead dust or particles. Lead dust can settle in your home, on toys, windowsills etc., and children can ingest the contaminated dust through hand to mouth con- C Leon Lala Public Health Lead is a metal used in pipes, bat- teries and soldering, and to shield against radioactivity. Lead is commonly used in industrial operations, but if ingested or inhaled it's highly toic and has serious health effects, particularly in young children. According to an Occupational Safety tact. Food: In a recent Morbidity Mor- tality Weekly Report, a family brought candied jams contaminated by d terra-cott- a containers back from a vacation in Mexico. In a second report; another family unknowingly prepared and Health Administration article, lead is one of the most common overexposures in industrial operations, and is the leading cause of environmentally induced illness in children. It's impor- lead-glaze- food with lead contaminated food coloring purchased in Iraq. tant to understand how you can be exposed to lead, and the protective measures available. Soil: In an addi tional study from HUD, high lev els of lead in Sources In the past, people were commonly exposed to lead through leaded gasoline. Since leaded gasoline is no longer available, people are potentially exposed to lead in other ways. The most common exposure is lead ingestion. Other WorkHobbies: People who work, or have hobbies that involve lead can bring lead home on their clothes, exposing their family members. Hobbies and related activities that are con- to 1992. ducive to, lead exposures are glazed pottery making, firing range target shooting, lead soldering for electronics, painting, stained glass making, car or boat repair, and home remodeling. 9, 9. The U.S. Air Force has joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in offering Hepatitis C virus screening to individuals who have received blood transfusions or organ donations prior ' Hepatitis C testing of donated blood first started in 1990, but truly reliable testing was not available until 1992 said Dr. (Col.) Jerry Owen, Chief of Aerospace Medicine at Air Force Materiel Command. "We don't want to cause undue concern, but we need to ensure people who received a blood transfusion prior to 1992 are contacted," Owen said. 'They need to be informed and tested." Owen calls Hepatitis C a "subtle virus" because people may have no symptoms v levels of lead can still be found in soil due to past emissions Development study, some lead based paint is found in 90 percent of all privately owned units built before 1940, 80 percent of units built between and 62 percent of units built between Homes built after Command Public Affairs have been nization, Ambulatory Procedure Unit counts clinics, Urgent used, but high Lead Based Paint: According to Air Force Materiel cells, an d lower sperm s line is seldom a Department of Housing and Urban . BioenvirOnmental Engineering performs lead exposure risk assessments for high priority facilities on Hill AFB. Visual inspections of high priority facil- ities are conducted annually looking 1 sperm Today leaded gaso drink- Protection for peeling paint or areas needing repair. High priority facilities, listed in order, are child care centers and play grounds; Air Force licensed home daycare in military family housing; pediatric wards, 19 ing water from certain types of plumbing materials, such as lead pipes, copper pipes with lead solder and brass faucets. by Shannon Meyer a built before 7 8 tled. sys- effected by lead. foundations of me tal, because some crystal contains lead. tem can also be paint from around the the body when you breathe or swallow lead particles or dust once it has set- 1978 shouldn't contain lead paint, because.it was banned from use on the interior and exterior of homes. Ingesting chipping paint in older homes poisons many children each year. If you ductive lead based borne through sanding or grinding operations. Airborne lead can enter 1960-197- male repro riorating air- 1940-195- lead-expose- came from dete ho Water: Lead can seep into reducing your risk of exposure. Keep all windowsills and children's playing areas clean and free of dust. Most learning, headaches, appetite loss, and importantly, keep children away from ing and behavioral problems. Fetuses, chipping paint, and ensure the chipinfants and children are more vulner- ping paint is fixed promptly by qualiable to lead exposure than adults, fied organizations. Frequently clean because lead is more easily absorbed the toys your children play with. Wash into growing bodies. Also, the tissues your hands, and your children's hands, of small children are more sensitive to frequently! the damaging effects of lead. Ensure children eat a balanced diet In adults, lead exposure can cause with plenty of foods that contain iron and calcium. A child who gets enough high blood pressure and strokes, digestive problems, kidney damage, iron of these minerals will absorb less lead. Foods rich in iron include eggs, lean deficiency, nerve disorders, sleep problems, muscle and joint pain, and mood red meat, beans and peas. Dairy prodd ucts such as milk, cheese and yogurt changes. In .women there may be are also recommended for their high a high rate of mis calcium content. Don't store food or carriage, ihe drink in containers made from cryscolicky abdominal pains, damage to the kidneys, impaired hearing, vomit- soil exposures include deteriorating paint, and dust, air, drinking water, food and even contaminated soil. Airborne: Lead can become damage, slowing of the child's growth, Health effects Exposure to high levels of lead can cause a variety of serious problems. In children, problems include brain of the virus until 10 to 20 years after it enters the body. 'The virus can cause a low level infection in the liver that lasts for years," he said. "During that time, the infected person can spread it to others and not even know it." In addition, treatment of the chronic liver disease often lasts for years and can be costly. The Hepatitis C virus is becoming more widespread and, while most people have heard of it, most do not real-- " ize its danger, Owen said. An estimated 4 million people are infected, and it kills 25,000 people annually. Hepatitis normally spreads from person to person through sexual activity and the sharing of needles. C Although not considered a major cause for spreading the disease, blood trans attributed and waiting areas; temporary living to lead expo . facilities; youth centers and recreational facilities; other base playgrounds; and military family housing. The Hill AFB pediatrics clinic will be sures. Reducing happy to offer lead screening questionnaires and, if indicated blood lead screening for children upon request by parents. Screening questionnaires for lead exposure are routinely given at the 12 month and 6 year old well child visits and become part of the permanent medical record. Education is the best way to reduce the risk of exposure. For more information, contact Public Health at Ext. Bioenvironmental Engineerat Ext. or Pediatrics at ing Ext. or visit the Centers for Disease Control web site atwww.cdc.gov and search for "lead." exposure In industrial operations it's important to use all the personal protective equipment required for the job. Practice good personal hygiene. For example, wash your hands before eating. If you work with lead or have a hobby that involves lead, wipe your 4-- feet before entering your home and wash your clothes separate from other ; clothes. For homes built before 1978, ensure good maintenance to reduce your risk. Intact leaded paint is not a problem unless it's peeling or disturbed. Good housekeeping, and sanitation is key to 51 fusions performed before purity tests were established in 1992, had the possibility of infecting people, Owen said. A few people have immune systems that can overcome the virus, but 85 percent of those infected develop a chronic infection that lurks in the body and can be spread to others. Most will suffer liver damage, particularly if they are ill from other diseases, and some will develop severe damage requiring a liver transplant. The number of Hepatitis C infections in people who received blood transfusions before 1992 led hospitals to try to find patients who may have received contaminated blood, he said. The Air Force has taken the first step by reviewing the records of blood donors and identifying possible contaminated blood donations, Owen said. The next step is educating the puiJic Care Clinic, immu- about Hepatitis . C and testing individ- uals who had transfusions or were organ recipients prior to 1992, he said. The insidious nature of Hepatitis C and the great length of time before symptoms appear make it necessary for individuals to be tested for the disease. People who received a transfusion or organ transplant prior to 1992 should contact their physician health and discuss testing and representative prevention. , or-publi- c "We can not contact every at-ris- k per-so- n, so we are hoping people will hear our message and be motivated to protect themselves," said Owen. For more information about Hepatitis C, contact Public Health at Ext. For blood transfusion information, contact the 75th Medical Group oratory at Ext. Lab- |