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Widely used in textiles and food packaging, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) contaminate water sources and food chains. The half-life of PFCs in the body is at least 4 years. Although studies have shown that these compounds might affect immune function in rodents, their effect in humans is unknown. To explore this issue, investigators prospectively studied a birth cohort in the Faroe Islands, where PFC exposure is high because of frequent consumption of marine foods. PFC levels were measured in serum samples obtained from the mothers at week 32 of pregnancy and from the children at age 5 years before booster vaccination against diphtheria and tetanus. Serum antibody titers against diphtheria and tetanus were measured at ages 5 and 7 years.
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