Morphological features of gastric and duodenal mucosa in persons engaged in destruction of organophosphate chemical weapons

Abstract

The study included 163 male soldiers, who have contact with organophosphorus weapons. Work experience at the sites averaged 7.7 years. Time in protection equipment was (3.2 ± 0.8) h / day. The control group consisted of 40 "chemically intact" soldiers. During the medical examination and observation of military personnel engaged in destruction of chemical weapons, it was found that they have formed a more significant esophagogastroduodenal pathology in comparison with the control group (frequency of erosive gastritis 25 and 5 %, respectively). Furthermore, this pathology is associated with a few symptoms (pain frequency 2.3 and 63 %, respectively); however, Helicobacter pylori is detected frequently (81.4 and 63 %, respectively). With the help of histological analysis of gastric mucosa, more pronounced inflammatory changes as well as atrophic and fibrotic manifestations and microcirculation disturbances were confirmed. It is suggested that the peculiarities of these pathological disorders are due to exposure to a complex of harmful factors, including possible influence of subliminal toxic components of chemical weapons to be destroyed. Negative impact of shift work and irregular nutrition cannot be excluded. These studies made it necessary to review the principles of military medical examination and develop more effective methods of treatment and prevention.