Effects of Hurricane Katrina on Children's Blood Lead Levels
NOTE: This document is provided for historical purposes only and may not provide our most accurate and up-to-date information. The most current disaster information can be found on the CDC Natural Disasters and Severe Weather homepage.
Children's blood lead levels are not likely to increase as a result of the hurricane even though lead levels in some flood water exceeded drinking water standards. Purifying water by boiling does not remove lead. However, children are unlikely to drink large amounts of flood water, and inorganic lead is not absorbed through the skin except in tiny amounts.
Topics of concern
- Some parents of children with elevated blood lead levels might request blood lead testing at the evacuation centers. These requests should be accommodated if at all possible.
- Children cannot give lead poisoning to other children.
- Concerns about potential lead exposure should not interfere with meeting the housing needs of displaced families. Lead programs across the country and at CDC can provide information about measures that reduce the chance of lead exposure. Information can also be found at www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead .
When cleanup in the affected areas begins, lead-painted building components should be disposed of carefully. To avoid widespread lead contamination and exposure, these components should not be burned in open areas. In addition, surfaces containing lead-based paint should not be cleaned by uncontrolled sanding or scraping.
| Year | State | Number of Children Tested | Total Confirmed Children BLLs > 10 µg/dL | Confirmed BLLs > 10 µg/dL as % of Children Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Alabama | 22,875 | 1,501 | 6.56% |
| 1998 | 17,827 | 988 | 5.54% | |
| 1999 | 17,660 | 549 | 3.11% | |
| 2000 | 13,719 | 315 | 2.30% | |
| 2001 | 12,107 | 642 | 5.30% | |
| 2002 | 22,495 | 454 | 2.02% | |
| 2003 | 21,307 | 503 | 2.36% | |
| 1997 | Louisiana | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1998 | 23,168 | 551 | 2.38% | |
| 1999 | 21,587 | 690 | 3.20% | |
| 2000 | 30,805 | 1,023 | 3.32% | |
| 2001 | 44,458 | 1,061 | 2.39% | |
| 2002 | 54,205 | 1,044 | 1.93% | |
| 2003 | 61,668 | 982 | 1.59% | |
| 1997 | Mississippi | 545 | 520 | 95.41% |
| 1998 | 890 | 485 | 54.49% | |
| 1999 | 7,945 | 767 | 9.65% | |
| 2000 | 11,107 | 169 | 1.52% | |
| 2001 | 16,771 | 435 | 2.59% | |
| 2002 | 26,258 | 525 | 2.00% | |
| 2003 | 36,882 | 520 | 1.41% | |
| 1997 | Texas | 1,286 | 50 | 3.89% |
| 1998 | 877 | 24 | 2.74% | |
| 1999 | 960 | 61 | 6.35% | |
| 2000 | 12,380 | 352 | 2.84% | |
| 2001 | 172,397 | 1,741 | 1.01% | |
| 2002 | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 2003 | 252,036 | 1,798 | 0.71% |
- Page last updated October 2, 2005
- Content source: CDC Emergency Communication System (ECS), Division of Health Communication and Marketing (DHCM), National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM)
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