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PubMed1980

[Organochlorine insecticide and polychlorinated biphenyl residues in some fish species].

Studies were carried out on 7 kinds of fish--Black Sea scad, Aegian sardine, ocean mackerel, white hake, Danube red-fin fish, carp and trout, from fish breeding-ponds, with a purpose of finding residual quantities of chloroganic compounds. The average values found for hexachlorcyclohexane, alpha and gamma, DDT and the metabolites, the dildrine and the polychlorinated biphenyls were considerably lower than those established by other authors about the same or similar kinds of fish: sigma DDR--0.150--4.739 ppm, hexachlorcyclohexane--0.083--0.304 ppm, dildrine--0.044--0.175 ppm and polychlorinated biphenyls--1.346--7.424 ppm. The results were evaluated on the basis of fat. The lowest quantities of chlorogranic insecticides were proved in fish from breeding-ponds (carp and trout) which did not contain dildrine and polychlorinated biphenyls. A correlation was established between the lipid contents and the quantity of polychlorinated biphenyl [(r) = 0.57] in the fish. The accumulation of chlororganic compounds in the fish was in connection with the way of feeding them and depends on (scad, white hake) the season. The quantities of sigma DDT found in the fish were under the admissible norms of WHO/FAO--7 ppm on the basis of fat for fish, polychlorinated biphenyl--under the temporarily existing norms in the Federal Republic of Germany--10 ppm on the basis of fat.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Effects of fish oil fatty acids on low density lipoprotein size, oxidizability, and uptake by macrophages.

The effect of fish oil and corn oil supplementation on plasma lipids and lipoproteins and on low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation was examined in 20 treated hypertensive subjects. The randomized double-blind crossover study consisted of two 6-week interventions with 4 g/day of a highly purified fish oil or corn oil. Fish oil significantly (-24%, P < 0.01) reduced plasma triglyceride, and increased LDL-cholesterol (+6%, P < 0.01 compared to corn oil). LDL particles were larger (P < 0.01) after fish oil compared to baseline and LDL size was inversely correlated with plasma triglyceride (P < 0.001) both before and after fish oil supplementation, and positively correlated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.01). Fish oil reduced lag time before onset of copper-induced LDL oxidation (-25%, P < 0.001) and significantly increased production of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) during oxidation, compared with corn oil. Corn oil had no significant effect on lag time and oxidation rate. Fish oil increased macrophage uptake of copper-oxidized LDL and of macrophage-modified LDL. Corn oil was without effect. Additionally, macrophages that were supplemented with fish oil fatty acids in vitro displayed a significantly (P < 0.001) higher capacity to oxidize LDL than either control cells or cells supplemented with corn oil fatty acids. We conclude that from the standpoint of atherosclerosis, fish oil fatty acids adversely raise the susceptibility of LDL to copper-induced and macrophage-mediated oxidation but that the increase in plasma LDL cholesterol concentration reflects an increase in size that may be favorable.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

[Legal and animal welfare aspects of the killing of fish].

The selection of methods for killing fish is determined by the number of fish to be killed, their utilization and the existing laws. No regulations exist for killing non-food fish. The methods for killing food-fish, however, are stipulated in a regulation from 1936. Mechanical or electrical stunning is obligatory except for flatfish and eel. Single fish should be stunned by a blow on the head, followed immediately by slaughtering or bleeding to be sure that the fish is really dead. When larger numbers of fish should be killed for food production only electrical methods are allowed as alternative. Chemicals can be used for killing non-food fish, the non-pollutant destruction of dead fish and chemical-contaminated water, however, has to be guaranteed. The methods are discussed with respect to practicability and animal welfare.

Animal Welfare↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Estimating fish consumption rates for Ontario Amerindians.

The routine assessment of human exposure to contaminants requires that exposure via consumption of freshwater fish be considered because many chemicals persist and/or bioaccumulate in fish. Estimates of fish consumption rate were determined for Ontario Amerindians from data on the concentration of mercury in the hair of 4,327 Amerindians residing in 58 reserves across the province, combined with data on mercury concentrations in three commonly consumed species of fish collected from lakes surrounding these reserves. Estimated rates of fish consumption were found to differ between sexes, with males consuming a geometric mean of 19 g of fish per day, while females were estimated to consume a geometric mean of 14 g/day. Fish consumption rate was found to increase with increasing latitude, a surrogate measure of community isolation, and to increase with age. Seasonal variation was also noted, with fish consumption rates being highest during summer months and lowest in winter. These data may provide regulatory agencies with a more statistically representative basis upon which to establish assumptions concerning fish consumption rates for risk assessment purposes. Factors such as the location of the exposed population, age and sex of exposed individuals, and time of year in which an assessment is being conducted, should also be considered as specific situations require.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Amino acid composition of protein products from fish of low market value].

The amino acids composition of proteins from the whole fry fish, proteinic mass and the fish protein concentrate was investigated by using ion-exchange chromatography with an automatic analyzer (AAA-881, ChSSR). A balance of amino acids recorded during preparation of the protein mass obtained in fish with inferior market value (fry herring and sand fish) is cited. It was found that the protein mass of fry contains 2.3 and that of sand-fish, 1.3 as much of the amino acids as does the whole fish. It is methionine that has been ascertained to be a limiting amino acid for fry and the products of its processing. In the protein of this fish essential amino acids comprise 43.5% of the sum-total of all the amino acids, the corresponding percentages in the protein mass and the fish protein concentrate being 42.1 and 41.7, respectively. A comparison of the amino acids composition of the study proteins as against the amino acid scale of the ideal FAO protein shows that the protein mass and the fish protein concentrate represent products of high biological value.

Amino Acids↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of commonly used cooking practices on total mercury concentration in fish and their impact on exposure assessments.

The effects of cooking practices commonly used by Native Americans on total mercury concentrations in fish were investigated. A preparation factor relating mercury concentrations in fish as prepared for consumption to mercury concentration data as measured in typical environmental monitoring programs was calculated. Preparation factors are needed to provide risk assessors with a more accurate estimate of the actual amount of mercury ingested through consumption of contaminated fish. Data on fish preparation and consumption practices of two communities of Chippewa residing on the shores of Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin were used to select practices for study. The most commonly consumed species, walleye and lake trout, were selected. Whitefish livers were also selected for study. Commonly used cooking techniques including panfrying, deep-frying, baking, boiling, and smoking were duplicated in the laboratory. Total mercury concentrations were determined in fish portions before and after cooking and in a portion representative of that analyzed in programs to assess water quality (skin-on fillets). Total mercury was determined by microwave digestion-cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy. Mercury concentrations (wet weight basis) in panfried, baked, and boiled walleye fillets and deep-fried and baked whitefish livers ranged from 1.1 to 1.5 times higher than in corresponding raw portions. In lake trout, mercury concentrations were 1.5 to 2.0 times higher in cooked portions than in the raw portion. However, total mercury levels were constant before and after cooking, indicating the concentration effect is caused by weight (moisture and fat) loss. The addition of lemon juice to potentially release mercury from its bound state and promote volatilization did not exert any measurable influence on mercury concentrations in cooked walleye. In some cases mercury concentrations were increased with increased cooking times due to further loss of moisture and fat. Preparation factors (defined as the ratio of mercury concentration in cooked fish to the mercury concentration in the environmental portion) ranged from 1.3 to 2.0. Results suggest that consideration be given to the use of preparation factors in risk assessments, exposure assessments, or issuance of fish advisories where mercury concentration in raw fish tissue are used in conjunction with cooked fish meal sizes.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Metabolism of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl by the marine fish scup (Stenotomus chrysops) in vivo and in vitro.

The metabolism of the polychlorinated biphenyl congener 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB) was examined in vitro and in vivo in the marine fish scup (Stenotomus chrysops). Untreated scup liver microsomes catalyzed metabolism of TCB with an estimated KM of 0.7 microM, at a rate < or = 0.13 pmol/min/mg. Metabolism was NADPH-dependent and inhibited by cytochrome c and CO, indicating cytochrome P450 (CYP) involvement. alpha-Naphthoflavone strongly inhibited microsomal TCB metabolism, and treatment of fish with CYP1A inducers increased the rates by approximately 2-fold, suggesting involvement of CYP1A. Scup were injected intraperitoneally with 0.1 or 5 mg TCB/kg and sampled on days 1-16 after treatment (after 3 days without food at each sampling). Concentrations of unmetabolized TCB in liver peaked on day 5 in low dose fish and on day 12 in high dose fish. In both groups the TCB content in the liver had declined 60% or more by day 16, suggesting depuration or redistribution from the liver. GC and MS revealed TCB and TCB metabolites in bile within 24 hr of treatment. The concentrations of TCB and metabolites in bile peaked at the same time that TCB concentrations peaked in the liver. The major metabolites were 5-hydroxy-3,3'4,4'-TCB (5-OH-TCB) and 4-hydroxy-3,3',5,4'-TCB (4-OH-TCB); 2-hydroxy-3,3',4,4'-TCB and 6-hydroxy-3,3',4,4'-TCB were minor metabolites. Animals given the high dose had much less 5-OH-TCB and much more parent TCB in bile than did fish given the low dose. Amounts of 4-OH-TCB in bile did not differ between doses. The reduced excretion of 5-OH-TCB coincided with a suppression of CYP1A in fish given the high dose, that did not occur in low dose fish, consistent with an involvement of CYP1A in TCB metabolism and particularly in formation of 5-OH-TCB. This study provides the first direct demonstration of 3,3',4,4'-TCB metabolism by fish. Data also indicate that these fish are able to eliminate TCB both as parent compound and as metabolites, despite a very slow rate of metabolism in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Experimental infection of several fish species with the causative agent of Kuchijirosho (snout ulcer disease) derived from the tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes.

Kuchijirosho (snout ulcer disease) is a fatal epidemic disease which affects the tiger puffer, Takifugu rubripes, a commercial fish species in Japan and Korea. To assess the possibility that non-tiger puffer fish can serve as reservoirs of infection, 5 fish species were challenged by infection with the extracts of Kuchijirosho-affected brains from cultured tiger puffer: grass puffer T. niphobles, fine-patterned puffer T. poecilonotus, panther puffer T. pardalis, red sea bream Pagrus major, and black rockfish Sebastes schlegeli. When slightly irritated, all these species, especially the puffer fish, exhibited typical signs of Kuchijirosho, i.e., erratic swimming, biting together and bellying out (swelling of belly), as generally observed in tiger puffers affected by Kuchijirosho. Although the mortalities of the 2 non-puffer species were lower, injection of the extracts prepared from the brains of both inoculated fish into tiger puffer resulted in death, indicating that the inoculated fish used in this experiment have the potential to be infected with the Kuchijirosho agent. Condensations of nuclei or chromatin in the large nerve cells, which is a major characteristic of Kuchijirosho, were histopathologically observed to some extent in the brains of all kinds of puffer fish species infected. These findings suggest that the virus can spread horizontally among wild and cultured puffers and even among fishes belonging to different orders.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Paint-assisted microdissection-FISH: Rapid and simple mapping of translocation breakpoints in the embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma cell line RD.

BACKGROUND: Spectral karyotyping and multiple fluorophore fluorescence in situ hybridisation (M-FISH) facilitate identification of inter-chromosomal rearrangements, but are of low cytogenetic resolution in mapping translocation breakpoints. Reverse chromosome painting yields increased cytogenetic information but isolation of aberrant chromosomes is technically difficult. We have developed the technique of paint-assisted microdissection FISH (PAM-FISH), which enables microdissection of aberrant chromosomes to be carried out easily and rapidly using relatively simple apparatus. METHODS: A selected chromosome paint is hybridised to abnormal metaphases to label a chromosome of interest, which is then microdissected, amplified, labelled by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and reverse painted onto extended normal metaphases. RESULTS: PAM-FISH was used to reassess structural chromosomal abnormalities identified by molecular cytogenetics in the rhabdomyosarcoma cell line RD. PAM-FISH improved the analysis of virtually all structural abnormalities, identifying six novel translocations and indicating that seven previously described rearrangements were in fact not present in RD. Accuracy of the breakpoint mapping obtained was confirmed by bacterial artificial chromosome-FISH. CONCLUSIONS: PAM-FISH is ideally suited to analysis of tumour metaphases as it is not affected by poor chromosome morphology. Reagents generated by PAM-FISH are also suitable for other investigations, such as mapping using sequence tagged-site PCR or genomic microarrays. PAM-FISH is technically straightforward and could readily be adopted in a routine cytogenetics laboratory for accurate high-throughput analysis of chromosome breakpoints.

Cell Line, Tumor↗
PubMed1994

Prenatal aneuploidy detection in interphase cells by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

FISH is a quick, inexpensive, accurate, sensitive and relatively specific method for aneuploidy detection in samples of uncultured chorionic villus cells and amniotic fluid cells. FISH allows detection of the autosomal trisomies 13, 18 and 21 and X and Y abnormalities and any other chromosome abnormality for which a specific probe is available. The detection rate of these abnormalities is high in informative samples which have a concordance of > 99.5% with cytogenetic results. A relatively high number of abnormal cases are found in uninformative samples. However, such samples should be regarded as samples to be investigated further. Clinical experience with the use of FISH for prenatal diagnosis is now beyond 10,000 cases; a number of clinical protocols and smaller trials have also been carried out, resulting in 90% of attempted analyses giving informative results with a high detection rate and extraordinarily low false-positive and false-negative rates. Unsolved problems remain, such as occasional technical failures, admixtures of maternal blood and up to 20% uninformative scoring results, especially for abnormal specimens. FISH is at present used as an adjunct to classical cytogenetic analysis. However, this should not be interpreted as meaning that FISH could not be used as a methodology in its own right. If FISH were to be considered a diagnostic test then this might be the case, due to the risk of false-negative and false-positive results and the fact that FISH does not allow a diagnosis of certain structural abnormalities. If, on the other hand, FISH is considered a screening test, which means that in all abnormal (or indeterminate) cases, classical cytogenetic analysis would follow the abnormal screening test, the accuracy which is potentially higher than for other screening methods, for example in cases of trisomy 21, justifies FISH as a prenatal screening test in its own right.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed2001

Role of amniotic fluid interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis in patient management.

We retrospectively reviewed 309 amniotic fluid interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses performed from October 1995 to June 1999 to assess the role of interphase FISH in the management of patients at increased risk for fetal aneuploidies. Gestational age and indications for amniocentesis, clinical interventions after FISH results, as well as interventions after final culture reports were analyzed. There were 244 (79%) normal, 50 (16%) abnormal and 15 (5%) inconclusive FISH results. There were no false-positive or false-negative results, but there were nine (3%) clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities not detectable by FISH. Of the 50 women with abnormal FISH results, 26 (52%) elected to terminate the pregnancy prior to the availability of the standard chromosome analysis. In two of the fetuses with trisomy 21 no abnormalities were reported by ultrasound examination. Our experience indicates that interphase FISH results played an important role in decision making, especially for pregnancies close to 24 weeks' gestation. Standard karyotype analysis is still required for detection of chromosome abnormalities not detectable by interphase FISH techniques and for clarification of unusual or inconclusive FISH results.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed2000

The Drosophila sox gene, fish-hook, is required for postembryonic development.

In Drosophila, the fish-hook (fish) gene encodes a Sox protein essential for embryonic segmentation and nervous system organization. In this study we examined potential functional roles of fish in postembryonic developmental processes, including those involved in adult appendage development. We show here that Fish protein is expressed in discrete patterns in the larval eye-antennal and leg imaginal discs, the central nervous system, the hindgut, and salivary glands. Genetic mosaic studies indicated that fish function is required for the growth or survival of imaginal cells, and the expression of engrailed and wingless. Ectopic expression of Fish protein resulted in severe disruption of adult structures; legs and antennae were truncated and eye formation was suppressed. These morphological defects were correlated with altered expression patterns of the wingless, decapentaplegic, and bric-a-brac genes. Finally, analysis of truncated versions of Fish protein indicated that the HMG domain was sufficient for Fish nuclear localization and that removal of the transcriptional activation domain did not eliminate Fish function. While Sox proteins have been shown to be important for eye and limb formation in vertebrates, these data provide the first evidence for Sox protein functions in appendage development in invertebrates.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Assessment of tolerant sunfish populations (Lepomis sp.) inhabiting selenium-laden coal ash effluents. 3. Serum chemistry and fish health indicators.

Sunfish were collected from fly ash discharge-receiving streams to assess the possible effects of exposure to elevated selenium. Concentrations of selenium, copper, and arsenic were statistically higher in fish tissue (liver) samples from effluent-exposed fish than in reference fish. Several biomarkers were indicative of metal exposure and effect. Plasma protein levels and cholesterol levels were significantly lower in exposed fish, indicating nutritional stress. Ion levels (i.e., K) increased with exposure to ash pond metals, indicating possible gill damage. Fish from the receiving streams also had increased serum glucose and osmolality indicating possible acute stress due to sampling. Fish health assessments revealed a lower incidence of fin erosion, kidney discoloration, urolithiasis or nephrocalcinosis, liver discoloration, and parasites in exposed fish and a higher incidence of skin, eye, and gill aberrations. Condition factors of exposed fish were correlated with biomarker response and were the same as or lower than those of reference fish, but not related to selenium levels. Although several serum biochemical indicators differed between the ash pond-receiving stream and reference sites, pollutant exposure was apparently not sufficient to cause functional damage to critical organ systems.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2002

Toxicity study of diethyl phthalate on freshwater fish Cirrhina mrigala.

Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is used as a plasticizer, a detergent base, in aerosol sprays, as a perfume binder in incense sticks and after-shave lotions. It is known to be a contaminant of freshwater and marine ecosystems. Therefore, a study was designed to determine the toxic effects of DEP on a freshwater fish, Cirrhina mrigala. The fish was treated with 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm (w/v) DEP dissolved in acetone to determine the LC50. Positive controls were treated with acetone only. There was 100% mortality observed within 24 h in 75 and 100 ppm, and 50% mortality in 50 ppm treated fish in 72 h. Those treated at 25 ppm showed only 10% mortality within 72 h and remaining fish continued to survive. The surviving fish were treated with 25 ppm DEP once daily for 3 days with every change of water (Group III). One group was maintained as negative control in dechlorinated water (Group I) and the other group received acetone once daily for 3 days with every change of water and was used as positive control (Group II). Fish were killed by cold narcosis on an ice block and dissected to obtain liver, muscle, and brain samples; 10% homogenates in ice-cold saline were prepared. Brain and muscle acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity was measured. Liver aspartate (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and liver and muscle succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) alkaline and acid phosphate (ALP and ACP) were measured. There was a significant increase in liver and muscle ACP and ALP in DEP-treated fish compared with positive and negative controls. There was a significant increase in muscle SDH and liver ALT (ALT) in DEP-treated fish compared with positive and negative controls. Brain AchE level was significantly decreased in DEP-treated fish compared to positive and negative controls. These results indicate that DEP brings about significant changes in the activity of certain liver and muscle enzymes. These alterations in enzyme activity may have long-term effects on that are continuously exposed to low doses of DEP in the aquatic environment.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1987

The relation between pituitary gland and thyroid growth during the lifespan of the annual fish Cynolebias whitei and Nothobranchius korthausae: gonadotropic and thyrotropic cells.

In the annual cyprinodont Cynolebias whitei the cell types responsible for the increase of pituitary growth at the onset of maturation and for pituitary hyperplasia in old specimens were identified as gonadotropic cells and thyrotropic cells, respectively. The gonadotropic cells showed a high affinity to anti-carp alpha beta-GTH serum, both at light- and electron-microscopical levels. The allometric relation of total gonadotropic cell volume to body length, determined for fish from six weeks up to six months of age, showed no inflections. Therefore pituitary growth in maturing fish may be partly a result of proliferation of gonadotropes, although gonadotropic cells do not contribute to pituitary hyperplasia in old fish. Thyrotropic cells showed a weak affinity to anti-carp alpha beta-GTH serum at light-microscopical level. Under the electron microscope thyrotropic cells displayed signs of activation in maturing fish and signs of proliferation in old fish. The allometric relation of thyroid gland volume to body length paralleled that of pituitary volume to body length. Histologically the thyroid gland showed signs of inactivity in adult fish and of hyperplasia in old fish. The possibility, that gonadal maturation, pituitary thyrotropic activity, and growth of the thyroid in maturing fish are related through the inhibitory action of gonadal steroids on thyroid hormone release, is discussed. Pituitary hyperplasia in old fish is the result of proliferation of thyrotropic cells. Similar hyperplasia of pituitary and thyroid glands was observed in old Nothobranchius korthausae.

Aging↗
PubMed2005

Water turbidity affects predator-prey interactions in a fish-damselfly system.

Community structure may differ dramatically between clear-water and turbid lakes. These differences have been attributed to differences in the cascading effect of fish on prey populations, owing to the reduced efficiency of fish predation in the presence of macrophytes. However, recent theoretical ideas suggest that water turbidity may shape predator-prey interactions, and it is predicted that prey will relax its antipredation behaviour in turbid water (H1). As a result, the nature of predator-prey interactions is expected to shift from both direct and indirect in clear water to dominantly direct in turbid water (H2). We tested these ideas in a fish-damselfly predator-prey system. In a first behavioural experiment, we looked at antipredation behaviour of damselfly larvae isolated from habitats that differ in turbidity, in the presence of fish in clear and turbid water. As predicted in H1, the larvae were more active in turbid than in clear water. In a complementary enclosure experiment, we reared larvae in a clear-water pond and a turbid pond, respectively, and manipulated the origin of the larvae (clear-water, turbid pond), fish presence (absent, present), and vegetation density (sparse, abundant). In both ponds, fish had a direct negative effect on survival of the larvae, which was mitigated in the presence of vegetation. In the fish treatment, the change in average body mass tended to be higher in the turbid pond than in the clear-water pond, suggesting indirect effects of fish were mitigated in the turbid pond. This was supported by a negative effect of fish on the effective growth rate of larvae in the clear pond, but not in the turbid pond. These results are compatible with the idea that predator-prey relationships are mainly governed by direct effects in turbid water, and by direct and indirect effects in clear water.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2006

Assessing genetic diversity of Brazilian reef fishes by chromosomal and DNA markers.

Little is known on genetics of Brazilian coral reef fish and most of this information is limited to chromosome characterization of major representative species. The diploid chromosome number in marine fish varies from 2n= 22-26 to 2n = 240-260. Despite of this apparent diversity, most studied marine species have a diploid complement with 48 acrocentric chromosomes. This latter trend is mostly observed among Perciformes, an important major taxon of coral reef fishes. Studies in the families Pomacentridae, Pomacanthidae and Chaetodontidae, for example, have shown a common karyotype pattern entirely formed by 48 uniarmed chromosomes. However, rare numerical and structural chromosome polymorphisms and cryptic chromosome rearrangements involving heterochromatin segments and/or nucleolar organizing sites have been reported among such fishes. Although new chromosome forms can contribute to the establishment of genetically isolated populations, their role in reef fish speciation at marine realm still is an open question. More recently, genomic DNA analyses using RAPD and microsatellites, and sequencing and RFLP of mitochondrial DNA have increasingly been used in Atlantic reef fish species. Genetic homogeneity over wide geographical ranges has been reported for different fish groups, in contrast to several cases of population substructuring related to environmental constraints or evolutionary history. Amazonas outflow and upwelling on the Southeastern coast of Brazil are believed to be strong barriers to dispersal of some reef species. Moreover, it is suggested that the pattern of speciation and population structure at South Atlantic is quite distinctive from Pacific Ocean, even when comparing closely related taxa. Further genetic studies are strongly encouraged in Brazilian reef fishes in order to provide a reliable scenario of the genetic structure in this important and diverse fish group.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

A quantitative analysis of fish consumption and coronary heart disease mortality.

Although a rich source of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that may confer multiple health benefits, some fish contain methyl mercury (MeHg), which may harm the developing fetus. U.S. government recommendations for women of childbearing age are to modify consumption of high-MeHg fish to reduce MeHg exposure, while recommendations encourage fish consumption among the general population because of the nutritional benefits. The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis convened an expert panel (see acknowledgements) to quantify the net impact of resulting hypothetical changes in fish consumption across the population. This paper estimates the impact of fish consumption on coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality and nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI). Other papers quantify stroke risk and the impacts of both prenatal MeHg exposure and maternal intake of n-3 PUFAs on cognitive development. This analysis identified articles in a recent qualitative review appropriate for the development of a dose-response relationship. Studies had to satisfy quality criteria, quantify fish intake, and report the precision of the relative risk estimates. Relative risk results were averaged, weighted proportionately by precision. CHD risks associated with MeHg exposure were reviewed qualitatively because the available literature was judged inadequate for quantitative analysis. Eight studies were identified (29 exposure groups). Our analysis estimated that consuming small quantities of fish is associated with a 17% reduction in CHD mortality risk, with each additional serving per week associated with a further reduction in this risk of 3.9%. Small quantities of fish consumption were associated with risk reductions in nonfatal MI risk by 27%, but additional fish consumption conferred no incremental benefits.

Adult↗