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Gavin W. ten Tusscher,^1* Peter A. Steerenberg,² Henk van Loveren,² Joseph G. Vos,² Albert E.G.K. von dem Borne,³ Matthijs Westra,⁴ Johannes W. van der Slikke,^5** Kees Olie,⁶ Hendrik J. Pluim,⁷ and Janna G. Koppe¹

¹Department of Paediatrics and Neonatology, Emma Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ²Laboratory for Pathology and Immunobiology, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands; ³Department of Clinical Haematology, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ⁴Department of Paediatrics and Neonatology, De Heel Zaans Medical Centre, Zaandam, The Netherlands; ⁵Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, De Heel Zaans Medical Centre, Zaandam, The Netherlands; ⁶Department of Environmental and Toxicological Chemistry, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ⁷Department of Intensive Care, University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Abstract
Perinatal exposure to Dutch "background" dioxin levels in 1990 was high, but comparable with that of other industrialized Western European countries. Exposure during the sensitive perinatal period may cause permanent disturbances. Therefore, we assessed the health status and various hematologic and immunologic parameters among our longitudinal cohort. A medical history was taken and venipuncture performed in a longitudinal cohort of 27 healthy 8-year-old children who had documented perinatal dioxin exposure. Linear regression revealed a decrease in allergy in relation to prenatal (p = 0.02) and postnatal (p = 0.03) dioxin exposure. Increases in CD4⁺ T-helper cells (p = 0.006) and in CD45RA⁺ cells (p = 0.02) were seen in relation to postnatal exposure. A persistently decreased platelet count (p = 0.04) and increased thrombopoietin concentration (p = 0.03) were seen in relation to postnatal exposure. This follow-up has shown a decrease in allergy, persistently decreased thrombocytes, increased thrombopoietin, and increased CD4⁺ T-helper and increased CD45RA⁺ cell counts. This study provides indications of effects at the stem cell level of perinatal dioxin exposure, persisting until minimally 8 years after birth. Key words: allergy, dioxin, hematology, human, immunology, pediatrics, perinatal, T cells. Environ Health Perspect 111:1519-1523 (2003) . doi:10.1289/ehp.5715 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 14 May 2003]