The summer disease

Abstract

Crises of childhood lead poisoning reach a peak each summer among industrial societies in the mid-latitudes of the world. Sources of environmental lead intoxication include household dust and paint, soil around houses, gutter dirt, lead in canned foods, and lead in the air. Lead concentrations are geographically concentrated in older residential areas and along traffic arteries. At the macrolevel, they generally correspond with the nexus of industrial conurbations. Weather factors may seasonally influence aerosol lead levels, but the paramount seasonal influence in human lead poisoning is solar radiation. This affects the mobilization of the body burden of lead, often precipitating a child into a summer crisis of lead-induced encephalopathy. An integrative model of seasonality factors is presented; different risk groups, notably black children, are recognized; and, importantly, implications for public health planning are emphasized.