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铅对儿童健康有害，这早已是共识；但血液里只有“一点点”铅，是否也值得担心？美国布法罗大学的研究团队分析了 2010 至 2020 年间在费城天普大学医疗系统就诊的 13,221 名 14 岁及以下儿童的病历，把他们一两岁时常规检测的血铅浓度与之后的诊断记录对照。结果显示，与血铅低于 1 微克/分升的孩子相比，血铅在 1–3.4 之间的孩子被诊断为链球菌咽炎（strep throat）的几率约为 2.5 倍，达到或超过 CDC 行动值 3.5 的约为 2.7 倍，且反复确诊也更常见；但血铅与哮吼（croup）之间没有明显关联。研究者强调，行动值只是提示医生关注的参照，并不是“安全线”，他们的结果支持“任何水平的铅暴露都不安全”的看法。文章还提到老房子里的含铅油漆、幼儿常把手放进嘴里，以及低收入和租房家庭难以修缮房屋等不平等因素。阅读时请注意：这是一项基于既有病历的研究，只能说明关联，不能证明铅直接导致咽炎；样本也只来自一个城市的一个医疗系统。可留意文章如何用 Compared with、However、That level is not… 和 so it shows a link, not proof 来区分发现、解释与边界。

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Lead is a metal that can harm the body, and it is especially dangerous for young children. A new study from the United States suggests that even small amounts of lead may be linked to a common childhood illness: strep throat, an infection that causes a sore throat and fever.

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铅是一种会伤害身体的金属，对幼儿尤其危险。美国的一项新研究表明，即使是少量的铅，也可能与一种常见的儿童疾病有关：链球菌咽炎。这是一种会引起咽喉疼痛和发烧的感染。

The study was led by researchers at the University at Buffalo and published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. The team looked at the medical records of 13,221 children aged 14 or younger in Philadelphia. They were all patients of the Temple University Health System between 2010 and 2020.

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这项研究由布法罗大学的研究人员主导，发表在《暴露科学与环境流行病学杂志》上。研究团队查看了费城 13,221 名 14 岁及以下儿童的病历。他们都是 2010 年至 2020 年间天普大学医疗系统的患者。

In Philadelphia, doctors check the lead level in children’s blood at the ages of one and two. The researchers then checked the children’s records to see who was diagnosed with strep throat or with croup, another infection that makes breathing difficult.

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在费城，医生会在孩子一岁和两岁时检测其血液中的铅含量。研究人员随后查看这些孩子的病历，看谁被诊断出链球菌咽炎，或是哮吼——另一种会让呼吸困难的感染。

The results were clear for strep throat. Compared with children who had very little lead in their blood, those with a low but measurable level had about 2.5 times the odds of a strep diagnosis. For children at or above the level that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses as a signal for action, the figure was about 2.7. Children with more lead were also more likely to get strep again and again. However, the team found no clear link between lead and croup.

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链球菌咽炎方面的结果很明确。与血液中铅含量极低的孩子相比，铅含量低但可以测出的孩子被诊断为链球菌咽炎的几率约为 2.5 倍。对于铅含量达到或超过美国疾病控制与预防中心作为行动信号的水平的孩子，这个数字约为 2.7。铅含量更高的孩子也更可能反复患上链球菌咽炎。不过，研究团队没有发现铅与哮吼之间存在明显关联。

The most important point is that the risk appeared below the official action level. That level is not a safe limit. It only tells doctors which children have more lead than most others and may need closer attention. The researchers say their findings support the view that no level of lead exposure is safe. One possible reason is that lead can harm the developing immune system, which protects the body from infection.

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最重要的一点是，这种风险在官方行动值以下就已出现。这个数值并不是安全上限，它只是告诉医生，哪些孩子体内的铅比大多数孩子多、可能需要更密切的关注。研究人员表示，他们的发现支持这样一种观点：任何水平的铅暴露都不安全。一个可能的原因是，铅会损害正在发育的免疫系统，而免疫系统保护身体免受感染。

The study also points to unequal risks. Many older homes still have lead paint, which can break off and turn into dust. Small children often put their hands in their mouths, so they may swallow it. Families with low incomes, especially those who rent, often cannot repair these homes. In this sample, 28 percent of the children had lead levels above the action level.

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这项研究也指出了风险的不平等。许多老房子里仍有含铅油漆，它会剥落并变成粉尘。幼儿常把手放进嘴里，因此可能把这些粉尘吞下去。低收入家庭，尤其是租房的家庭，往往无力修缮这些房子。在这一样本中，28% 的儿童血铅水平高于行动值。

The study has limits. It used existing medical records, so it shows a link, not proof that lead causes strep throat. The children also came from one health system in one city. Still, the researchers argue that rules on lead exposure should be reviewed.

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这项研究也有局限。它使用的是已有的病历，因此只能显示一种关联，而不能证明铅会导致链球菌咽炎。这些孩子也都来自一个城市的同一个医疗系统。尽管如此，研究人员认为，有关铅暴露的规定应当重新审视。

新闻来源

• University at Buffalo (UBNow) · UB researchers find links between low levels of lead exposure and strep throat in children (26 Oct 2026)
• Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology · Environmental lead exposure and clinical infectious respiratory disease in a sample of urban and disadvantaged children

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