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Case Reports
. 2018 Jun;25(16):15692-15701.
doi: 10.1007/s11356-018-1618-x. Epub 2018 Mar 25.

Environmental asbestos exposure and mesothelioma cases in Bari, Apulia region, southern Italy: a national interest site for land reclamation

Luigi Vimercati  1 , Domenica Cavone  2 , Piero Lovreglio  2 , Luigi De Maria  2 , Antonio Caputi  2 , Giovanni Maria Ferri  2 , Gabriella Serio  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Environmental asbestos exposure and mesothelioma cases in Bari, Apulia region, southern Italy: a national interest site for land reclamation

Luigi Vimercati et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018 Jun.

Abstract

Asbestos is an environmental carcinogen, and asbestos-related diseases are a global-scale public health issue. We report three cases (one male and two females) of pleural malignant mesothelioma (PMM) caused by environmental asbestos exposure reported by the Apulia Regional Operating Centre (COR) to the National Mesothelioma Registry (ReNaM). The patients revealed no history of asbestos exposure even after detailed assessment. The environmental (neighborhood) asbestos exposure for each of the three cases was due to both the residential history of the subjects and their workplace, close to a military barracks, at a distance of between 45 and 100 m. Moreover, in addition to this new source of pollution, an asbestos cement factory was located in the urban area of Bari municipality, in the Apulia region, southern Italy. Environmental-residential/neighborhood asbestos exposure in the city of Bari, a contaminated area classified as a site of national concern for land reclamation, is discussed also with reference to the military barracks.

Keywords: Asbestos; Bari, Apulia. Italy; Contaminated town; Environmental-residential-neighborhood exposure; Mesothelioma; Mesothelioma registry; Military barracks; Public health.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

Written informed consent was obtained from the patients.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The military barracks “Rossani.” The houses built along the perimeter are visible
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The military barracks “Rossani.” The houses built along the perimeter are visible
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The military barracks “Rossani.” The houses built along the perimeter are visible
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Bari map: Fibronit and Rossani sites
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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