W. H. ADAMS: LATE MEDICAL CONSEQUENCES OF EXPOSURE TO RADIOACTIVE Table 3 Skin test responsiveness by radiation exposure group” Radiation No. in Each No. Tuberculin Candida Category Category Tested Negative Negative Rongelap 62 38 16 (42.1%) 2 (5.3%)** Utirik 137 72 Comparison 135 68 39 (54.2%) 35 (51.5%) 0 (0.0%) 2 (2.9%) * See text for definition of positive and negativetests. ** Two persons, an 83-year-old Rongelap exposed man and a 43-year-old unexposed woman, had positive tuberculin tests despite negative reactions to Candida antigen. Table 4 Antithyroid antibodies in the different radiation exposure groups Exposure group (n) Elevated antithyroglobulin Percent elevated Rongelap (55) 2 4% Utirik (94) 4 4% Comparison (82) 2** 2% * The levels ranged between 6 and 1! U/1, with normal levels being < 5 U/1. ** One subject had elevated antimictrosomal antibodies (35 U/1) and a history of Grave's disease with hyperthyroidism. antibodies are less specific indicators of thyroid autoimmunedisease, but are useful as a screening test. These two antibodies were sought in Marshallese sera. The results indicated no significant difference among the exposure groups (Table 4). It is notable that in one U.S. study prevalence of antithyroglobulin antibodies was 4.8% in normal children, and that prevalence increases with age. These data indicate that autoimmune thyroid disease js not common in the Marshallese, regardless ee Cr P32 on ra 280