O'Brien D J, Kaneene J B, Poppenga R H
Population Medicine Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1314.
Environ Health Perspect. 1993 Mar;99:351-68. doi: 10.1289/ehp.9399351.
The use of sentinel species shows the potential to bridge the gap between animal-based and human-based environmental health research. With regard to the assessment of environmental contamination, the use of the terms "indicator," "monitor," and "sentinel" has often been confusing and ambiguous. A set of definitions is proposed as a standard to rectify this situation. The advantages of the use of sentinel species are provided, as well as criteria for sentinel selection, based on species characteristics. The recent use of mammals as sentinels for human exposure to toxic environmental contaminants is reviewed. A tabulated review of mammals proposed as indicators or monitors is included, as these may act as a database for the selection of sentinel species for future research efforts. The complexity and subtlety of factors interacting between an organism and its environment make it imperative that one provide a focused definition of what one wants the sentinel to assess and for what particular aspect of human health. Some examples of how sentinels might be selected for particular research questions are provided. While the potential for sentinel use in the field of environmental health is enormous, future investigators need to choose sentinels carefully, based on well-defined research questions, and confine conclusions drawn to the particular problem the sentinel was chosen to assess.
使用指示物种显示出弥合基于动物和基于人类的环境卫生研究之间差距的潜力。在环境污染评估方面，“指示物”“监测物”和“哨兵”这些术语的使用常常令人困惑且含混不清。现提出一套定义作为纠正这种情况的标准。文中阐述了使用指示物种的优势，以及基于物种特征的哨兵选择标准。回顾了近期将哺乳动物用作人类接触有毒环境污染物的哨兵的情况。还列入了一份作为指示物或监测物提出的哺乳动物的列表综述，因为这些可作为未来研究工作中选择指示物种的数据库。生物体与其环境之间相互作用的因素复杂而微妙，因此必须明确界定希望哨兵评估的内容以及针对人类健康的哪一特定方面。文中提供了一些针对特定研究问题如何选择哨兵的示例。虽然在环境卫生领域使用哨兵的潜力巨大，但未来的研究人员需要根据明确界定的研究问题谨慎选择哨兵，并将得出的结论局限于选择哨兵评估的特定问题。
