Abstract

LARIOS ORTIZ, Luis; CANAS PEREZ, Regla; SANCHEZ CARMONA, Ángela M  and  CAPOTE FRADERA, Alejandro. Well water pollution as a cause of methemoglobinemia in Camagüey, Cuba. AMC [online]. 2004, vol.8, n.2, pp.29-41. ISSN 1025-0255.

This investigation was carried out due to the trend to decreasing notificación of infant methemoglobinemia in the last tan years in the province, together with the interest to investigate which factors have motivated this fact. To describe the behaviour of infant methemoglobinemia in the province from 1985 to 2001, characterize the entity according to some variables selected and identify the possible association of the disease and volume of fertilizers used, precipitations, hydrologic conditions of the territory and variation of nitrate levels of the drinking water sampled. To fulfil the objectives mentioned above, different methodological (desings) were used. We reached to the following conclusions: infant methemoglobinemia has decreased in the last years, fertilizer volumes used and the speed of rock infiltration, together with the diminishing of the nitrate values in drinking waters may be related with the appearance and future decreasing of the disease.

Keywords : METHEMOGLOBINEMIA [epidemiology]; CHILD; WATER POLLUTION [prevention & control]; WELLS.

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