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Molds as an Environmental Factor in Infant Leukemia?
Casteleyn L, Van Damme K, Van den Berghe H. Center for Human Gentics, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

The possible influence of occupational, environmental and lifestyle exposures of parents on the occurrence of infant leukemia is studied. Infant leukemia diagnosed within the first 6 months of life occurs at a frequency of around 1 case in 50.000 live births and shows a consistent genomic defect involving the 11q23 band (the MLL gene). These rearrangements are considered to offer circumstantial evidence for an environmental factor being involved and compelling evidence exists that the particular mutation is acquired in utero.