A new study finds that perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which are used in manufactured products such as non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, and fast-food packaging, are associated with lowered immune response to vaccinations in children. It is the first study to document this.
The study appears in the January 25, 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
"Routine childhood immunizations are a mainstay of modern disease prevention. The negative impact on childhood vaccinations from PFCs should be viewed as a potential threat to public health," said study lead author Philippe Grandjean, adjunct professor of environmental health at Harvard School of Public Health.
The researchers looked at 587 babies in follow-up examinations as they grew. Children were tested for immune response to tetanus and diphtheria vaccinations at ages 5 and 7 years.
The results showed that PFC exposure was associated with lower antibody responses to immunizations and an increased risk of antibody levels in children lower than those needed to provide long-term protection.
"Serum Vaccine Antibody Concentrations in Children Exposed to Perfluorinated Compounds," Philippe Grandjean, Elisabeth Wreford Andersen, Esben Budtz-Jorgensen, Flemming Nielsen, Kare Molbak, Pal Weihe, Carsten Heilmann, JAMA, January 25, 2012, Vol. 307, No. 4, pp. 391-397
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