• Jie Hou, Tong Wang, Mingfa Liu, Shaochen Li, Jie Chen, Chunxu Liu, Hui Zhang, Yiru Wang, Zengchao Liu, Na Liang, Yuezhu Wan, Qi Li, Shuqiu Sun, Lijun Zhang, Hongqi Feng, Yang Liu, and Hongmei Wang.
• Institute of Keshan Disease, Center for Endemic Disease Control, Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, China.
• Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011 Dec 1;143(3):1255-63.

AbstractThis study explores whether the declining prevalence of Keshan disease is associated with increasing selenium levels in Keshan disease areas in Heilongjiang province. Six counties endemic with Keshan disease and three non-endemic counties were selected as study areas. In each county, two townships and in each township one village were chosen in which to survey ten families about head hair, grain, and soil samples and to obtain demographic information. Selenium was measured with hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry. In each county endemic with Keshan disease, one of the villages was chosen to investigate the prevalence of the disease. We collected 534 head hair samples, 446 staple food samples, and 180 soil samples. The selenium levels of head hair and corn in the endemic counties were significantly lower than those in non-endemic counties. Family demographic information was homologous except for the composition of staple food. More residents in Keshan disease areas preferred flour and corn. The detection rate for latent Keshan disease had a significantly negative correlation with the corn selenium level in six counties endemic with Keshan disease. As the population in this region is still at risk for Keshan disease, selenium surveillance measures should be intensified.

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