Prevalence rate of nervous system diseases in the operative and repair staff of the NPP Kozloduj (Bulgaria)

The primary intent of the work was to study the prevalence rate of nervous system diseases in the operative and repair staff of the NPP in Kozlodui for the period of its ten years' exploitation and to make a professional interpretation of the pathologic changes found. By use of clinical neurological and vegetological methods 160 operators and 360 repair workers from the NPP and a control group of 115 operators and 135 workers from a thermal power plant were examined. No significant differences in the prevalence rate of nervous system diseases between the workers in the two plants were found. The incidence of neuroses was greater in the operative staff of both plants, which may be attributed to the chronic nervous and mental strain, characterizing the operators' activities. In the repair staff at the NPP there were cases of transient astheno-vegetative dystonic phenomena, due to radiation exposure for short periods of time to doses lower than the annual threshold ones