The effect of Base Transceiver Station waves on some immunological and hematological factors in exposed persons

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Taheri, Mohammad^a | Roshanaei, Ghodratollah^b | Ghaffari, Jamileh^c | Rahimnejad, Samira^d | Khosroshahi, Behzad Nazel^e | Aliabadi, Mohsen^f | Eftekharian, Mohammad Mahdi^{e; g; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran | [b] Modeling of No Communicable Diseases Research Center, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran | [c] Mobile Network Optimization Office, Telecommunication Center, Hamadan, Iran | [d] School of Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran | [e] Faculty of Paramedicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran | [f] Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran | [g] Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: M.M. Eftekharian, Faculty of Paramedicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Fahmideh Blvd, Hamadan, Iran. Tel.: +98 8138381037; Fax: +98 8138381017; E-mail:eftekharian@umsha.ac.ir

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Since the number of mobile subscribers has significantly increased in recent years, the installation and deployment of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) antennas sending and receiving signals has become common and inevitable in different regions. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we have tried to evaluate the effect of the waves on some immunological and hematological parameters in exposed individuals. In this study, the exposed and non-exposed individuals were used as the test and control groups, respectively. METHODS: The test group was healthy people who resided in the vicinity of the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) antenna and received the maximum of radiation. The control group was selected from the healthy individuals that were matched with the exposed group by age. They resided in a distance of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) antenna and received the minimum of radiation. After stating complete explanations and obtaining the consent, the venous blood samples were taken from them. Then, CBC and the level of cytokines including IL-4, IL-10 and interferon γ were performed on the samples and the results were analyzed by SPSS software. RESULTS: In the test group, the whole number of white blood cells, the level of hematocrit, percent of monocytes, eosinophils and basophils were significantly lower than the control group. The number of red blood cells, their average volume and the mean concentration of hemoglobin were notably higher than the controls. There was not observed a significant difference between the two groups in hemoglobin, its mean concentration, platelet count, percent of lymphocytes and neutrophils as well as serum levels of cytokines IL-4, IL-10 and interferon γ . CONCLUSIONS: It seems that radiation of mobile phone antennas influenced the blood and immune systems, but further study should be done to exactly determine the targets.

Keywords: Waves, antennas, mobile phone, electromagnetic, immunology, hematology

DOI: 10.3233/HAB-160303

Journal: Human Antibodies, vol. 25, no. 1-2, pp. 31-37, 2017