IMMUNE FACTORS, DENTAL AMALGAM, AND LOW-DOSE EXPOSURE TO MERCURY IN SWEDISH ADOLESCENTS

Occupational high-dose exposure to metallic mercury can cause immune d isturbances in sensitive individuals. Whether low-dose exposure to ino rganic mercury from dental amalgam has this effect in humans is one of the issues related to the concept of oral galvanism and is supported by results of animal studies. This study explored some cellular immune factors (B- and T-lymphocytes, T4, T8, monocytes, neutrophilic, eosin ophilic, and basophilic granulocytes, and large unstained cells) and s ome humoral immune factors (immunoglobulins IgC, IgG1, IgC2, IgC3, IgG 4, IgA, IgM, IgE, albumin, alfa-1-antitrypsin, orosomucoid, haptoglobi n, and antinuclear antibodies) in 41 healthy 15-y-old schoolchildren. The relationship between these factors and amalgam fillings and mercur y concentrations in plasma (P-Hg) were investigated. A low, but signif icant correlation (r = 0.40, p <.05) was found between the number of a malgam surfaces and the P-Hg values, which were low for both sexes (me dian value = 1.8 nmol/l). There was no significant influence of the nu mber of amalgam surfaces or P-Hg on the immune factors tested, except random findings. The girls had significantly higher values of T8, IgG, and IgG1 than the boys.