Emerging trends in the UK incidence of occupational asthma: should we be worried?

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (6) ◽  
pp. 396-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin J Seed ◽  
Melanie Carder ◽  
Matthew Gittins ◽  
Dil Sen ◽  
Annemarie Money ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Asthma ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Downward Trend ◽  
Adult Onset ◽  
Incidence Trend ◽  
Asthma Incidence ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
The Uk ◽  
High Index Of Suspicion ◽  
New Onset

While 15% of adult-onset asthma is estimated to have an occupational cause, there has been evidence of a downward trend in occupational asthma incidence in several European countries since the start of this millennium. However, recent data from The Health and Occupation Reporting network in the UK have suggested a possible reversal of this downward trend since 2014. We present these data and discuss possible explanations for this observed change in incidence trend. A high index of suspicion of occupational causation in new-onset asthma cases continues to be important, whether or not the recently observed increase in occupational asthma incidence in the UK is real or artefactual.

Necrotising (malignant) otitis externa in the UK: a growing problem. Review of five cases and analysis of national Hospital Episode Statistics trends

2015 ◽  
Vol 129 (6) ◽  
pp. 600-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Chawdhary ◽  
N Liow ◽  
J Democratis ◽  
O Whiteside
Keyword(s):  
Otitis Externa ◽  
Severe Infection ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Catchment Population ◽  
Malignant Otitis Externa ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Uk ◽  
High Index Of Suspicion ◽  
Park Hospital

AbstractBackground:Necrotising (malignant) otitis externa is a severe infection causing temporal bone osteomyelitis. Although rare, our experience (reported herein) shows local doubling of cases in 2013. Hospital Episodes Statistics data for England over 14 years also indicate increased incidence nationally. Specific learning points in management are also discussed.Methods:A retrospective review was conducted of patients admitted in 2013 to Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, UK (catchment population, 450 000). In addition, the UK Government Hospital Episodes Statistics data were interrogated.Results:There were five cases of necrotising (malignant) otitis externa in 2013, representing a local doubling on previous years. The mean age of patients was 82 years. All cultures grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa; no isolates were antibiotic resistant. All patients responded to systemic anti-pseudomonals on clinical, biochemical and radiological parameters. Hospital Episodes Statistics data showed a six-fold increase in the number of cases from 1999 (n = 67) to 2013 (n = 421).Conclusion:Our experience suggests increasing necrotising (malignant) otitis externa incidence, and retrospective analysis of Hospital Episodes Statistics data supports this observation. Necrotising (malignant) otitis externa poses challenges in management, as exemplified in our cases, requiring a high index of suspicion and early aggressive treatment to achieve cure.

Thaumetopoea processionea (oak processionary moth).

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Beverley
Keyword(s):  
Animal Health ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Thaumetopoea Pityocampa ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Processionary Moth ◽  
Thaumetopoea Processionea ◽  
Oak Trees ◽  
Oak Processionary Moth ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All

Abstract T. processionea, commonly known as the oak processionary moth, is a major pest in many European countries and threatens the health of oak trees. The common and scientific names of T. processionea refer to the behaviour of the larvae to form long processions. The larvae cause severe defoliation, reducing the viability of oak trees. They also pose a risk to both human and animal health because they shed poisonous hairs, which can result in severe allergic reactions, amongst other health problems. The moth is native to central and southern Europe but is now present in almost all European countries and also in parts of the Middle East. EPPO issued a Pest Risk Analysis in 2007 for the UK in response to infestations of the species in Europe from 2006. At this time, infestations of the moth were observed on a range of oak (Quercus) species in London. The adult males are strong fliers and can fly long distances, such as from France to the UK (Evans, 2007). Host plants of this pest include many species of deciduous Quercus, and to a much lesser degree, Betula, Carpinus, Castanea, Corylus, Crataegus, Robinia and Fagus; plants commonly found in forests, woods or ornamental plantations in the UK, for example (Evans, 2007). Therefore, areas where these plants are present and offer a suitable climate for pest development are likely to be under threat from T. processionea. Various pines have been reported as hosts, but such records are suspect and are probably the result of confusion with the pine processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa).

Calonectria pseudonaviculata (Buxus blight).

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Host Range ◽  
Introduced Species ◽  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Plant Debris ◽  
Full Extent ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Asexual Species ◽  
Shoot Blight ◽  
The Uk

Abstract C. pseudonaviculata is an asexual species in a genus of common ascomycete plant pathogens. It was identified relatively recently in the UK, as an introduced species causing a devastating shoot blight of boxwood [Buxus spp.] plants that are commonly used in gardens and landscaping. The full extent of its host range is not known, but Buxus spp. from different continents were found to be susceptible (Henricot et al., 2008). It was placed on the EPPO Alert list in 2004, as it appeared to be spreading to the mainland (EPPO, 2009a), and removed from the list in 2008. This pathogen has been reported from additional European countries in recent years, and may have been transported in asymptomatic infected plants or propagating materials. It survives well in plant debris and probably also in soil.

scholarly journals Two hearts and a loan? Mortgages, employment insecurity and earnings among young couples in six European countries

Urban Studies ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (11) ◽  
pp. 2451-2469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia M Dotti Sani ◽  
Claudia Acciai
Keyword(s):  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Logistic Models ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Earned Income ◽  
Employment Insecurity ◽  
National Differences ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Employment Instability

Homeownership is increasingly understood by policy makers and social scientists as a fundamental asset against poverty risks, especially in times of economic uncertainty. However, in several Western countries, homeownership among younger generations appears to be increasingly difficult to achieve, likely a result of growing employment instability and stringent criteria to access credit. This article uses multinomial logistic models and nationally representative EU-SILC data from six European countries to examine (a) to what extent precarious employment among young couples is linked to being a mortgage holder; (b) whether earned income can compensate for employment instability in being a mortgagee; (c) cross-national differences in the relationship between being a mortgage holder, earnings, and employment insecurity. Our results indicate that the higher the levels of employment insecurity, the lower the chances of being a mortgage holder in all countries. Moreover, we find that at a given level of employment insecurity, households with higher levels of earned income have higher chances of being mortgage holders than households with lower earned income. However, while earned income has a stronger effect in achieving a mortgage among couples who have secure employment in Italy, earnings are more important among couples with lower levels of employment security in France, the UK, Spain and Poland. These results suggest that the relationship between social inequalities and housing is partially mediated by the national context.

scholarly journals The temporal relationship between cancer and adult onset anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1 antibody–positive dermatomyositis

Rheumatology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 650-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Oldroyd ◽  
Jamie C Sergeant ◽  
Paul New ◽  
Neil J McHugh ◽  
Zoe Betteridge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Proportional Hazard ◽  
Adult Onset ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazard ◽  
Kaplan Meier ◽  
Specific Cancer ◽  
Associated Malignancy ◽  
Cancer Types ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Screening Approaches

Abstract Objectives To characterize the 10 year relationship between anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1 antibody (anti-TIF1-Ab) positivity and cancer onset in a large UK-based adult DM cohort. Methods Data from anti-TIF1-Ab-positive/-negative adults with verified diagnoses of DM from the UK Myositis Network register were analysed. Each patient was followed up until they developed cancer. Kaplan–Meier methods and Cox proportional hazard modelling were employed to estimate the cumulative cancer incidence. Results Data from 263 DM cases were analysed, with a total of 3252 person-years and a median 11 years of follow-up; 55 (21%) DM cases were anti-TIF1-Ab positive. After 10 years of follow-up, a higher proportion of anti-TIF1-Ab-positive cases developed cancer compared with anti-TIF1-Ab-negative cases: 38% vs 15% [hazard ratio 3.4 (95% CI 2.2, 5.4)]. All the detected malignancy cases in the anti-TIF1-Ab-positive cohort occurred between 3 years prior to and 2.5 years after DM onset. No cancer cases were detected within the following 7.5 years in this group, whereas cancers were detected during this period in the anti-TIF1-Ab-negative cases. Ovarian cancer was more common in the anti-TIF1-Ab-positive vs -negative cohort: 19% vs 2%, respectively (P < 0.05). No anti-TIF1-Ab-positive case <39 years of age developed cancer, compared with 21 (53%) of those ≥39 years of age. Conclusion Anti-TIF1-Ab-positive-associated malignancy occurs exclusively within the 3 year period on either side of DM onset, the risk being highest in those ≥39 years of age. Cancer types differ according to anti-TIF1-Ab status, and this may warrant specific cancer screening approaches.

Legal Deposit of Electronic Publications and Other Non-Print Material: An International Overview

1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Hoare
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Current Situation ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Print Material ◽  
International Coordination ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Electronic Publications ◽  
The Uk ◽  
West European

In many countries, including the UK, proposals are currently being made for the extension of legal deposit to electronic and other non-print material. Some countries such as Switzerland and the Netherlands have no national legal deposit legislation, though voluntary deposit works well in the latter. Norway has the most advanced legislation, requiring the deposit of all lands of media. In few countries is any range of material actively handled, and a very few deal with online publications. There is scope for international coordination of proposals through such bodies as CDNL, CENL, IFLA and UNESCO. The aim of totally comprehensive collecting of all published material may be accepted as unrealistic, and some selectively is likely to be necessary. The current situation with regard to deposit of non-print material in 11 west European countries, Australia, Canada and the USA is recounted.

scholarly journals Between-Country Comparability of Clinical Chemistry Results: An International Quality Assessment Survey of 17 Analytes in Six European Countries through Existing National Schemes

1993 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
R T P Jansen ◽  
D G Bullock ◽  
A Vassault ◽  
H Baadenhuijsen ◽  
A De Leenheer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Mutual Recognition ◽  
Clinical Chemistry ◽  
Reference Method ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Standard Deviations ◽  
The Uk

Two lyophilized control sera were distributed through seven national external quality assessment schemes in six European countries—Belgium, Switzerland, France, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom—participated in the study. The results for 17 routine analytes were obtained from almost 5000 laboratories for the two sera. The organizers of the schemes were asked to process the results according to a common outlier removal procedure, and submit method-related data if available. The two sera were also distributed through the external/internal scheme of The Netherlands, and the within-laboratory standard deviations calculated in this scheme have been used in a scaling procedure for the external mean values and between-laboratory standard deviations of the participating countries. The results show remarkable agreement in the national mean values for practically all analytes, but considerable differences in the between-laboratory variation. Data from comparable method groups was obtained for 12 analytes from Belgium, France, The Netherlands and the UK. Though revealing some specific differences between methods and countries, the method-related data are generally in agreement with the all-method data. In this study reference method values were only available for cholesterol. The high degree of agreement found suggests, however, that mutual recognition of all-method mean values in national schemes could be acceptable, especially for analytes for which reliable reference methods are not available. The major element of variation is between-laboratory rather than between-country.

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