Biomaterial Database

Serum dioxin, chloracne, and acne in veterans of Operation Ranch Hand. 1998

J E Burton, and J E Michalek, and A J Rahe

Armstrong Laboratory, Brooks AFB, Texas, USA.

The possible relationship between exposure to Agent Orange and its contaminant, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (dioxin), during the Vietnam War and chloracne was investigated. The index subjects were veterans of Operation Ranch Hand, the unit responsible for aerial herbicide spraying in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971. Other Air Force veterans who served in Southeast Asia during the same period, but who were not involved with spraying herbicides, served as comparisons. None of the Ranch Hand veterans were diagnosed with chloracne; therefore, we restricted our analyses to acne. We found no meaningful or consistent association between dioxin exposure and prevalence of acne without or with regard to anatomical location. These results suggested that exposure of Ranch Hand veterans to dioxin was insufficient for the production of chloracne or perhaps the exposure may have caused chloracne that resolved and was currently undetectable.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009784	Occupational Diseases	Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment.	Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D003678	Defoliants, Chemical	Herbicides that remove leaves from trees and growing plants. They may be either organic or inorganic. Several of the more persistent types have been used in military operations and many are toxic. (From Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 11th ed)	Chemical Defoliants
D004147	Dioxins	A family of compounds that contain the 1,4-dioxin structure. Many specific dioxin derivatives are listed as CARCINOGENS; TERATOGENS; or MUTAGENS.	Dioxin
D005500	Follow-Up Studies	Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease.	Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000072317	Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins	Dibenzodioxin derivatives that contain multiple chloride atoms bound to the benzene ring structures.	TCDD,Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin,2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin,Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins,Dibenzo(b,e)(1,4)dioxin, 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-,PCDD,Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins,Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxin,Polychlorodibenzo-4-dioxin,Polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxin,Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin,Chlorinated Dibenzo p dioxins,Dibenzo-p-dioxins, Chlorinated,Dibenzo-p-dioxins, Polychlorinated,Dibenzodioxin, Polychlorinated,Dibenzodioxins, Polychlorinated,Polychlorinated Dibenzo p dioxins,Polychlorodibenzo 4 dioxin,Polychlorodibenzo p dioxin,Tetrachlorodibenzo p dioxin
D000075182	Agent Orange	A herbicide that contains equal parts of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), as well as traces of the contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.	(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid, butyl ester, mixt. with butyl (2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)acetate,2,4-D - 2,4,5-T mixture,Orange, Agent
D000152	Acne Vulgaris	A chronic disorder of the pilosebaceous apparatus associated with an increase in sebum secretion. It is characterized by open comedones (blackheads), closed comedones (whiteheads), and pustular nodules. The cause is unknown, but heredity and age are predisposing factors.	Acne
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults