Symptoms of Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

The VOCs found in the water at Camp Lejeune can cause a variety of short-term symptoms, which affected people may have noticed at the time of exposure. More concerning are the long-term symptoms of exposure to VOCs, which can cause serious health problems and even be fatal.

Short-Term Effects

Exposure to VOCs can cause short-term effects on the nervous and other body systems. Although people exposed at Camp Lejeune would not be expected to be suffering from these short-term effects now that it’s been decades since their exposure, it may be helpful for affected people to be aware of the symptoms.

Many people noticed these symptoms when they lived on base, such as after taking a shower or drinking a glass of tap water or a beverage made with tap water. If you remember suffering from the short-term effects of VOC exposure, you should be monitored for potential long-term effects, which can be very serious.

A study published in the National Academies Press (NAP) revealed the short-term effects of exposure to these chemicals, including:

• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Headaches
• Problems with hand-eye coordination
• Feeling inebriated
• Distorted perceptions
• Exhilaration

Long-Term Effects

Of the VOCs found at Camp Lejeune, TCE, vinyl chloride, and benzene are known human carcinogens, meaning they can cause cancer. PCE is considered to be a probable carcinogen. In addition, these VOCs can cause birth defects and other severe chronic health problems.

After an extensive investigation of the health effects of these chemicals, ATSDR concluded that there is evidence that these VOCs cause various types of cancer:

• Bladder cancer
• Brain cancer
• Breast cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Hodgkins disease
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Kidney cancer
• Leukemia
• Liver cancer
• Lung cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Myelodysplastic syndrome (a cancer of certain cells in the bone marrow)
• Ovarian cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Rectal cancer
• Soft tissue cancer (may originate in muscle tissue, tendon, fat tissue, blood vessels, or other soft tissues)

In addition, these chemicals can cause other chronic health conditions:

• Aplastic anemia. A severe condition in which the bone marrow doesn’t produce enough blood cells.
• End-stage renal disease. This is also called end-stage kidney disease or kidney failure. Your kidneys no longer work properly to meet your body’s needs.
• Impaired immune system function. A condition in which the immune system is compromised and cannot protect against infection.
• Liver cirrhosis. The formation of scar tissue throughout the liver, which can lead to liver failure.
• Neurological effects. These may include delayed reaction times and problems with short-term memory, visual perception, attention, and color vision.
• Neurobehavioral performance deficits. These may include deficits in visual perception, decreased reflexes, and mood changes such as confusion, depression, and tension.
• Parkinson’s disease. A neurological disorder that leads to severe difficulty with movements of the body.
• Scleroderma. A chronic medical condition that causes a gradual hardening and tightening of the skin and other tissues.
• Severe, generalized hypersensitivity skin disorder. An autoimmune-related disease, meaning that the patient’s own immune system attacks their body’s tissues, which leads to intense inflammation and damage.

In women who were exposed while pregnant, exposure to these VOCs can lead to birth defects in the baby:

• Cardiac defects. Problems with the heart.
• Choanal atresia. A condition in which the baby is born with blocked nasal passages.
• Eye defects. A group of defects that affects vision, such as anophthalmia and optic nerve hypoplasia.
• Low birth weight. A low birth weight raises the risk of other health problems.
• Neural tube defects. This is a group of birth defects in which the brain and spinal cord structure fail to develop correctly. One common example is spina bifida, in which a part of the spinal cord is left unprotected; it can ultimately lead to issues like paralysis.
• Oral cleft defects. In this type of birth defect, the roof of the mouth doesn’t fully form, leaving an opening in it. One example is cleft lip, in which there is an opening in the child’s upper lip. Without surgery, this makes it difficult for the child to eat and speak.

Furthermore, exposure to VOCs while pregnant raises the risk of miscarriage or fetal death.