[Children's health in zone of radioactive pollution caused by the Chernobyl accident].
The Chernobyl accident led to contamination of vast territories of Russia by man-made radionuclides. One of such regions is the Tula region. For realization of programs aimed at alleviation of the accident consequences, medical and sanitary measures were taken, including many-year monitoring of radiation pollution in the region and health status of various population groups, primarily children. Complex studies were carried out, making use of radiation, sociohygienic, epidemiological, psychophysiological, anthropometric, clinical laboratory, cytogenetic, immunological, and other methods. Dynamic examinations of children of different age demonstrated that radioactive precipitations at a density of 5-15 Ci/m2 did not directly affect children's health; however essential deviations in the health status, such as changes in morbidity, physical development, and incidence of immunodeficiencies have been revealed. The authors consider that realization of health protection programs should concern primarily children.