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Cats as sentinels for environmental factors of endocrine disruption: Interests for disease prevention in humans Volume 12, issue 2, Mars-Avril 2013

Authors
Unité de pharmacie-toxicologie Unité Inserm U955 équipe 03 École nationale vétérinaire d’Alfort 7, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle 94704 cedex Maisons-Alfort France, 56, avenue Division-Leclerc 92160 Antony France

The concept of sentinel animals is ancient. The authors propose applying it to pets, and in particular to cats, who share the same environment as their owners and are exposed to the same contaminated indoor air and sometimes the same food, both sometimes including endocrine disrupters. The abnormal behaviour of the cats living around the bay of Minamata, with lesions similar to those observed in the fishermen poisoned by methylmercury, is a historical example. The relations between contamination by polybrominated biphenyls or by perfluorinated hydrocarbons and the onset of some physiological disruptions common to humans and cats make it possible to approach current issues (respectively hyperthyroidism and immune deficiency). Finally, we suggest experiments that might support various hypotheses.