Key Points

• Lead poisoning in children remains a significant public health issue, with 500 to 700 cases diagnosed annually between 2015 and 2018 in France. Prescribing physicians must remain vigilant regarding the issue of lead poisoning.

• A regional disparity in new cases of lead poisoning has been observed. In fact, 8 out of 10 identified cases resided in one of these three regions: French Guiana, Île-de-France, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.

• In recent years, screening programs conducted in French Guiana have led to a sharp increase in screening activity, revealing a higher number of new cases. Ongoing research in this region (Guyaplomb; Pregnant Women and Newborns study) will help identify specific risk factors to define the best possible prevention measures tailored to French Guiana.

• Housing-related risk factors were present in three-quarters of the new cases. However, for more than half of the new cases, no information on the risk factors that led to screening was provided. A better understanding of the source of poisoning is essential for guiding screening and prevention policies.

• Although information on the risk factor that prompted the order for a blood lead level test is very limited, three risk factors not identified in the surveillance form were highlighted by prescribers in incident cases: having lived or stayed for an extended period in a country where the risk of lead exposure is documented; maternal lead poisoning; and living or having lived in camps or nomadic settlements.

• These results confirm the need to continue monitoring childhood lead poisoning and its determinants. Efforts to raise awareness among healthcare professionals regarding screening must continue, as only a proactive approach to identifying risk factors for children’s exposure, followed by ordering a blood lead level test when such factors are identified, can detect children with lead poisoning.