Search

IgG, IgA, and IgM levels were measured in 347 miners working in the underground of uranium mines; in 156 men entering into the work in mines, and in 101 men working in food industry and food distribution, all in the region of Central Bohemia. Significantly elevated IgG and IgM levels were found in the subgroup of miners exposed a short time (less than five years) to the mining environment, whereas elevated IgA levels were found in the subgroup exposed more than 15 years. The comparison of differences with age-matched controls has shown that the levels of IgM are significantly increased in the miners subgroup exposed to the mining environment no more than five years. In miners subgroups above 31 years a significant decline of IgG levels occurs. The expression of Ig levels' changes is not uniform in all exposed persons; an apparent heterogeneity occurs in miners population. Some differences in IgG and IgM levels were found between the two 31- to 40-year-old control subgroups. The possible conditions for differences found are discussed from the point of view of the effect of ionizing radiation and from the point of view of the stressing influence of environment and employment.