Background &Objective: Ground water arsenic contamination is an important cause of chronic arsenic toxicity in West Bengal, India.As natural history of arsenic related skin lesion following intake of safe water is scanty, a study was carried out to assess the outcome in regard to skin lesion following intervention to reduce arsenic exposure in West Bengal Methods: Cohort Follow up study was carried out during 2017-2020 on a population of 7162having arsenical skin lesion, studied previously during 2006-07,in the district of Nadia, West Bengal. Arsenic exposure data of all available past and present study subjects were used for exposure assessment. Results: Out of the population studied, 843 arsenicosis cases had skin lesion in the past, the lesions persisted in 249 (29.5%) cases while cleared in 594 (70.5%)subjects during current study. Further, 15 (0.21%) cases with new skin lesion were seen currently. Arsenic exposure data showed that 36.3% of individuals were drinking water with arsenic level >0.01mg/L previously, but currently taking safe water (As<0.01mg/L). Conclusion: Clearance of arsenic skin lesion occurred in many cases following intake of safe water in arsenic exposed population in Nadia. West Bengal. However, safe water intake could not prevent occurrence of new skin lesion in a few cases.
Impact Factor
2022: 6.012
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