Selenium, iodine and fungal contamination in Yulin District (People's Republic of China) endemic for Kashin-Beck disease

We studied the status of selenium, iodine and fungal contamination in 353 s chool children (age 5-14 years) from four rural villages in the District of Yulin. In three villages Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) was endemic, whereas th ere were no cases of KBD in the fourth village. Clinical, biological and ra diological examinations (right hand) were performed and KBD was established by X-ray diagnosis. The prevalence rate of KBD was 30.2%, 44.2% and 45.3% in the three endemic villages. Mean hair selenium and urine iodine concentr ations were lower in affected than in unaffected children and fungal contam ination in cereal grains stored in families with KBD was more elevated than in families without KBD. Low hair selenium concentration and presence of f ungal cereal contamination were significantly associated with an increased risk of KBD, but low urine iodine was not.