Original Article

Elevated sister chromatid exchange frequencies in New Zealand Vietnam War veterans
R.E. Rowland^a, L.A. Edwards^a, J.V. Podd<sup>b

a</sup>Institute of Molecular Biosciences and
^bSchool of Psychology, Massey University, Palmerston North (New Zealand)

Address of Corresponding Author

Cytogenet Genome Res 2007;116:248-251 (DOI: 10.1159/000100407)

  Abstract.

From July 1965 until November 1971, New Zealand Defence Force Personnel fought in the Vietnam War. During this time more than 76,500,000 litres of phenoxylic herbicides were sprayed over parts of Southern Vietnam and Laos, the most common being known as 'Agent Orange'. The current study aimed to ascertain whether or not New Zealand Vietnam War veterans show evidence of genetic disturbance arising as a consequence of their now confirmed exposure to these defoliants. A sample group of 24 New Zealand Vietnam War veterans and 23 control volunteers were compared using an SCE (sister chromatid exchange) analysis. The results from the SCE study show a highly significant difference (P < 0.001) between the mean of the experimental group (11.05) and the mean of a matched control group (8.18). The experimental group also has an exceptionally high proportion of HFCs (cells with high SCE frequencies) above the 95th percentile compared to the controls (11.0 and 0.07%, respectively). We conclude that the New Zealand Vietnam War veterans studied here were exposed to a clastogenic substance(s) which continues to exert an observable genetic effect today, and suggest that this is attributable to their service in Vietnam.

Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Request reprints from R.E. (Al) Rowland
Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Massey University
Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North (New Zealand)
telephone: +64 6 356 9099, ext. 7977; fax: +64 6 350 5688
e-mail: R.E.Rowland@massey.ac.nz

  Article Information

Manuscript received 11 January 2006
Accepted in revised form for publication by M. Schmid,: 15 December 2006.
Number of Print Pages : 4
Number of Figures : 3, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 24