Ferruginous bodies in the lungs of urban dogs

The aim of the study was to assess health hazards induced by environmental exposure to asbestos using urban dogs as biological indicators. Samples of the lung tissue taken from 36 randomly chosen urban dogs were examined. In the group of dogs aged up to four years (n = 15) ferruginous bodies were identified in only two. In the dogs older than four years (n = 21) 17 were ferruginous body positive. According to Fisher's exact test the difference between the two groups was significant (P < 0.001). The presence of asbestos bodies in the lungs of dogs is considered to be evidence of serious contamination of urban areas with respirable mineral fibres. The more frequent presence of asbestos bodies in the lungs of the older dogs indicates long-term accumulation of mineral fibres exceeding 10 microns in length. Continuous environmental exposure of the city's population to respirable mineral fibres may therefore pose a health risk.