zaujalo mě, že v živopise nově zvoleného demokratického senátorem Joshe Tureka se píše, že za jeho rozštěp páteře může to, že jeho otec byl ve Vietnamu vystaven účinkům Agent Orange.
Expoziční mutace zděděná po otci, navíc při početí po několika letech od expozice (Turek se narodil v roce 1979, tedy čtyři roky po konci války ve Vietnamu), mi přišla dost neobvyklá, ale data jsou v tomto případě poměrně přesvědčivá:
The most thorough research available regarding the relationship between male veterans exposed to Agent Orange and children with birth defects was ProPublica’s analysis of VA registry data conducted in 2010. The researchers divided the data into two groups: veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange, and veterans were not.
In both groups, children who were conceived before the Vietnam War had low rates of birth defects: 2.6% for unexposed veterans and 2.8% for exposed veterans. Birth defects in children who were conceived after the Vietnam War increased in children of both groups of men: 9.8% for unexposed veterans and 13.1% for exposed veterans.
According to VA’s website, the following list of birth defects are presumed to be connected to service:
“Achondroplasia
Cleft lip and cleft palate
Congenital heart disease
Congenital talipes equinovarus (clubfoot)
Esophageal and intestinal atresia
Hallerman-Streiff syndrome
Hip dysplasia
Hirschprung’s disease (congenital megacolon)
Hydrocephalus due to aqueductal stenosis
Hypospadias
Imperforate anus
Neural tube defects
Poland syndrome
Pyloric stenosis
Syndactyly (fused digits)
Tracheoesophageal fistula
Undescended testicle
Williams syndrome”
Children with other birth defects may also be eligible if the other requirements are met.
Vždycky jsem věděla, že Agent Orange bylo strašný svinstvo. Ale že až takový, tak to teda ne.