Exposure to volatile anaesthetics is not followed by a massive induction of single-strand DNA breaks in operation theatre personnel

Publié le 09 février 2017 • Catégorie(s) : En accès libre, Risques chimiques • Mot(s) clef(s) : Transmission aérienne

Auteur       Krzysztof Szyfter
Auteur       Ireneusz Stachecki
Auteur       Magdalena Kostrzewska-Poczekaj
Auteur       Marcin Szaumkessel
Auteur       Joanna Szyfter-Harris
Auteur       Paweł Sobczyński
Volume       57
Numéro       3
Pages       343-348
Publication       Journal of Applied Genetics
ISSN       2190-3883
Date       Aug 2016
Résumé       Volatile anaesthetics such as halothane, isoflurane and others were expected to produce a health challenge for operation room personnel because of prolonged occupational exposure to anaesthetic gases. To estimate a molecular background of adverse health effects, a cohort of 100 exposed individuals was studied by the single-cell gene electrophoresis (comet assay) test. DNA lesions in lymphocytes of the exposed group did not differ significantly compared with non-exposed blood donors. Then, the exposed group was further divided according to job position. A highest level of DNA lesions was established in nurses but without significant difference compared with other groups. When a time period of exposure was taken into account, a tendency to cumulate DNA lesions was found only in the group of anaesthesiologists. A very weak genotoxic effect established in this study is discussed in relation to DNA repair, adaptative response and potential self-elimination of sensitive individuals.