CHROMOSOME-ABERRATIONS IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD LYMPHOCYTES FROM CONTROL INDIVIDUALS

This study emphasizes the problems encountered in obtaining suitable c ontrol levels for comparison with occupational studies of exposure to clastogens. Blood samples taken from 135 individuals (69 females and 6 6 males) were examined for chromosome aberrations. The data include 15 368 cells scored for chromosome aberrations. The frequencies of chroma tid and chromosome breaks, acentric fragments and dicentrics were dete rmined. The frequency of the most common chromosome aberration, chromo some breaks, was 1.1 x 10(-2) and for dicentrics 0.26 x 10(-3). The va lues obtained were investigated in relation to sex, cigarette smoking habits, diagnostic X-ray exposure and use of antibiotics. In all the p arameters, no significant differences were found.