• Corpus ID: 17066838

Neurotoxic effects of thimerosal at vaccines doses on the encephalon and development in 7 days-old hamsters

@inproceedings{Laurente2008NeurotoxicEO,
  title={Neurotoxic effects of thimerosal at vaccines doses on the encephalon and development in 7 days-old hamsters},
  author={Jonny Laurente and Fany Remuzgo and Betthina {\'A}valos and Johnnie Chiquinta and B Ponce and R Avenda{\~n}o and Luis E. Maya},
  year={2008}
}

• Jonny Laurente, Fany Remuzgo, +4 authors Luis E. Maya
• Published 2008
• Biology

Objectives: To determine if thimerosal administration in amounts equivalent to vaccines content produces neurotoxic effects on the encephalon in postnatal hamsters and on experimentation animal’s development. Design: Experimental, prospective, bioetapic study. Setting: San Fernando Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Biological material: Seven daysold hamsters. Material: We divided 45 postnatal hamsters in three groups: group A (n=15), group B (n=15) and group C (n=15). We administered three intramuscular equivalent doses of sucrose and thimerosal in 20 μL of saline to groups B and C, respectively, on birth-days 7 (0,227 μg), 9 (0,216 μg) and 11 (0,220 μg). Group A received only 20 μL of saline solution. Main outcome measures: Body weight, encephalon weight, height (skull-caudal length), and encephalon histopathological alterations. Results: Anova and student t tests showed statistical significance in favor of low body weight, low encephalon weight, and smaller stature in group C with respect to groups A and B hamsters (p<0,0001). X statistical significance in relation to the presence of hystopathological alterations in group C was also obtained (p<0,0001). We observed greater relative risk of encephalic alterations in group C. Conclusions: The administration of thimerosal in equivalent doses to vaccines content was associated with low corporal weight, low encephalon weight, and smaller stature in postnatal hamsters. Neurotoxic effects were also produced at encephalic level: at hippocampus (regions CA1, CA3 and DG), cerebral cortex, and cerebellum (Purkinje cells and granulose cells); with decrease in neuronal density, neuronal necrosis, axonal demyelinization, and gliosis. In addition, risk increase in developing any of these alterations was high just in the animal group receiving