Genotoxicity Studies Performed in the Ecuadorian Population

Genotoxicity studies in Ecuador have been carried out during the past two decades. The focuses of the research were mainly the area of environmental issues, where the populations have been accidentally exposed to contaminants and the area of occupational exposure of individuals at the workplace. This paper includes studies carried out in the population of the Amazon region, a zone known for its rich biodiversity as well as for the ecological damage caused by oil spills and chemical sprayings whose consequences continue to be controversial. Additionally, we show the results of studies comprised of individuals occupationally exposed to toxic agents in two very different settings: flower plantation workers exposed to pesticide mixtures and X-ray exposure of hospital workers. The results from these studies confirm that genotoxicity studies can help evaluate current conditions and prevent further damage in the populations exposed to contaminants. As such, they are evidence of the need for biomonitoring employers at risk, stricter law enforcement regarding the use of pesticides, and increasingly conscientious oil extraction activities

Alterations and Chromosomal Variants in the Ecuadorian Population

Medical genetics is a field marked by fast progress. Even though it was at one point confined to a group of relatively rare diseases, today it has become a central component in the understanding of disorders and it is the subject of interest for all medical specialties. This paper, shares data on the chromosomal alterations and variations that have been diagnosed in Ecuadorian patients since 1998. A total of 2,636 individual cases have been analyzed by G-banding technique until February 2012. The present work shows this collection of data and the important findings that have appeared throughout these years in hopes that it can contribute to have a deeper understanding of the incidence of chromosomal aberrations and alterations in the Ecuadorian population