José Vicente Elias Bernardi

Fish Consumption during Pregnancy, Mercury Transfer, and Birth Weight along the Madeira River Basin in Amazonia

Birth weight can be a predictor of maternal health issues related to nutrition and environmental contaminants. Total hair mercury (HHg) concentration was studied as an indicator of both fish consumption and methylmercury exposure in mothers (and newborns) living in selected low income areas of the Madeira River basin, Amazonia, Brazil. This cohort study (n = 1,433) consisted of traditional riverines (n = 396), riverines who had moved to urban (n = 676) and rural (n = 67) settings, and tin miner settlers (n = 294). Median maternal HHg was significantly different (p = 0.00001) between riverine (12.1 µg·g−1), rural (7.82 µg·g−1), urban (5.4 µg·g−1), and tin miner (4.5 µg·g−1) groups studied. The same trend (of medians) was observed for newborns’ HHg which also showed significant differences between riverine (3.0 µg·g−1), rural (2.0 µg·g−1), urban (1.5 µg·g−1), and tin miner (0.8 µg·g−1) groups. The correlation between maternal and newborn HHg was statistically significant in the riverine (r = 0.8952; p = 0.0001), urban (r = 0.6744; p = 0.0001), and rural (r = 0.8416; p = 0.0001) groups but not in the mother-infant pairs in the tin miner group (r = 0.0638; p = 0.2752). Birth weight was significantly different among groups but did not show a pattern consistent with that of fish consumption (and HHg). A multiple regression analysis showed that only family income and gestational age had a significant impact on birth weight. Conclusions: Maternal HHg is an important biomarker of maternal fish consumption and of methylmercury exposure during pregnancy. However, in these Amazonian groups, only maternal education and gestational age seemed to affect birth weight positively.

Fish consumption by traditional subsistence villagers of the Rio Madeira (Amazon): Impact on hair mercury

Abstract Background: Subsistence ribeirinhos of the Amazon Basin depend on fish for their principal source of protein, but fish availability changes with seasonal high and low waters. Aim: To assess taxa and quantity of fish consumed and estimate attendant exposure to methyl-Hg in a traditional subsistence high fish-eating community of the Amazon Basin. Subjects and methods: 120 villagers in 18 households were followed for 6 months (August to February) for weighed portions of fish consumed. Results: Mean daily per capita fish consumption was high (406 g/day) with fish meals ranging from 4 to 14 times/week and an integrated yearly consumption of 148.2 kg/person. Median total-Hg concentrations in fish ranged from 0.011 to 0.409 ppm; six of the more consumed fish species comprised more than 50% of the fish consumed. The villagers mean hair-Hg concentration was high (17.4 ± 11.5 μg/g), with both inter- and intra-household variation despite similar high fish consumption; only 7% showed hair-Hg concentrations < 5 μg/g, but 75% had hair-Hg levels above 10 μg/g. Maternal hair-Hg was significantly correlated with respective childrens hair-Hg (Spearman r = 0.5390; p < 0.0001). The high daily fish intake of these villagers is predominantly of species with much lower Hg concentrations. Conclusion: In Amazonian lifestyle of ribeirinho communities traditional fish consumption is high and depends on available species; fish is also the principal via of meHg exposure and attendant hair-Hg concentrations.

Maternal fish consumption in the nutrition transition of the Amazon Basin: Growth of exclusively breastfed infants during the first 5 years

Background: Changes in fish-eating habits due to rapid urbanization in Western Amazon was used as model to investigate whether maternal fish-intake rate impacts on childrens weight and height during the first 5 years. Aim: The study examined the growth of 82 breastfed children, and maternal fish consumption (hair mercury concentrations, HHg) during pregnancy and lactation. Subjects and methods: Fish consumption in mothers and children was estimated through HHg. The children were measured and weighed at birth and at 6 (exclusive breastfeeding), 36 and 60 months. Results: Fish consumption rate (HHg) had no significant impact on childrens growth at the specified ages (p = 0.35). After 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, children had the highest proportion of Z-scores <−1 SD; however, weaning (with extended breastfeeding) had a substantial impact in moving up the attained growth at 3 years. The duration of breastfeeding was significantly correlated with attained Z-scores for weight-for-age (r = 0.26; p = 0.02) and weight-for-height (r = 0.22; p = 0.04) but not for height-for-age. At 3 years most children had improved Z-scores (>−1 SD) for height-for-age (70/82), weight-for-age (74/82) and weight-for-height (74/82). At 5 years, all but one child attained Z-scores >−1. Conclusion: The apparently good nutritional status of subjects is more likely due to a well balanced diet composition than to only one dietary protein source–fish.

Time of perinatal immunization, thimerosal exposure and neurodevelopment at 6 months in breastfed infants.

Aim: Brazilian newborns immunized with hepatitis‐B (thimerosal containing vaccine, TCV) receive the first dose within 24 h if delivered in public hospitals, but at a later time if born in private hospitals. We compared neurodevelopment (ND) in infants born in a state hospital (immunized within 24 h) and in privately run hospitals (immunized 2–4 days postnatally).