ABSTRACT
Inorganic arsenic, a documented potent toxicant and carcinogen, is frequently present in drinking water. Recent studies have shown appreciable exposure also through rice, including rice-based infant foods (Ljung et al. 2011). Although it is clear that arsenic easily passes the placenta, little is known about consequences of early-life exposure. Our on-going studies in rural Bangladesh aim to evaluate prospectively potential health effects of early-life exposure to arsenic. In the study area, more than 95% of the inhabitants use drinking water from local wells, the arsenic concentrations of which vary considerably. Initially, prenatal arsenic exposure was found to be associated with increased risk of infant mortality (Rahman et al. 2010) and morbidity, particularly lower respiratory tract infections and diarrhea (Rahman et al. 2011). We also observed arsenic-related impaired thymus size (Moore et al. 2009).
