Epidemiology of Collective Food poisoning in Tlemcen- Western Algeria: A retrospective analysis of data from 2011-2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 539-547
Author(s):  
Meryem Allioua ◽  
Waffa Bouali ◽  
Ilham Mkedder
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Fecal Coliform ◽  
Food Poisoning ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Epidemiological Monitoring ◽  
The World ◽  
Western Algeria ◽  
Family Focus

Food poisoning is a serious public health problem in the world that needs to be addressed as early as possible. However, mitigation efforts can be possi-ble only when data and information resulting from the implementation of monitoring or continuous surveillance are available. Here we report a study that was conducted taking into account all the data of poisoning report sheets, filled in by the doctor in charge of the case or, failing that, by the nurse, coming from health facilities (in sixteen regions in Tlemcen) were in-cluded in the analysis. For data processing, we have used some descriptive tools such as the frequencies and the lethality rates. The description of the sample concerned the characteristics of the poisoned population (year, gen-der, age, origin, hospitalisation, etc.) and the characteristics related to the suspected food. The survey showed a concentration of family focus, espe-cially in urban areas. Meats, Chickens and cream filled bakery food were the three most important incriminated foods and most of the infections in the outbreaks were related to fecal coliform, Clostridium and Staphylococcus. Some of the factors identified to contribute to food poisoning were lack of self-hygiene by food handlers and poor water and environmental supplies, poor preservation of food, the consumption of inadequately cooked or thawed meat or chicken, cross-contamination of food from infected food handlers, as well as the lack of awareness and information transmission and the lack of health infrastructures and means of communications. The present study highlights the needs for creating adequate infrastructure related to hygiene, regular epidemiological monitoring and increasing the awareness level of the residents.

scholarly journals A systematic literature review of schistosomiasis in urban and peri-urban settings

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. e0008995
Author(s):  
Katharina Klohe ◽  
Benjamin G. Koudou ◽  
Alan Fenwick ◽  
Fiona Fleming ◽  
Amadou Garba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
World Health ◽  
World Population ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Urban Settings ◽  
The World

Background Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by trematode worms of the genus Schistosoma and belongs to the neglected tropical diseases. The disease has been reported in 78 countries, with around 290.8 million people in need of treatment in 2018. Schistosomiasis is predominantly considered a rural disease with a subsequent focus of research and control activities in rural settings. Over the past decades, occurrence and even expansion of schistosomiasis foci in peri-urban and urban settings have increasingly been observed. Rural–urban migration in low- and middle-income countries and subsequent rapid and unplanned urbanization are thought to explain these observations. Fifty-five percent (55%) of the world population is already estimated to live in urban areas, with a projected increase to 68% by 2050. In light of rapid urbanization and the efforts to control morbidity and ultimately achieve elimination of schistosomiasis, it is important to deepen our understanding of the occurrence, prevalence, and transmission of schistosomiasis in urban and peri-urban settings. A systematic literature review looking at urban and peri-urban schistosomiasis was therefore carried out as a first step to address the research and mapping gap. Methodology Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic computer-aided literature review was carried out using PubMed, ScienceDirect, and the World Health Organization Database in November 2019, which was updated in March 2020. Only papers for which at least the abstract was available in English were used. Relevant publications were screened, duplicates were removed, guidelines for eligibility were applied, and eligible studies were reviewed. Studies looking at human Schistosoma infections, prevalence, and intensity of infection in urban and peri-urban settings were included as well as those focusing on the intermediate host snails. Principal findings A total of 248 publications met the inclusion criteria. The selected studies confirm that schistosomiasis is prevalent in peri-urban and urban areas in the countries assessed. Earlier studies report higher prevalence levels in urban settings compared to data extracted from more recent publications, yet the challenge of migration, rapid uncontrolled urbanization, and resulting poor living conditions highlight the potential for continuous or even newly established transmission to take place. Conclusions The review indicates that schistosomiasis has long existed in urban and peri-urban areas and remains a public health problem. There is, however, a challenge of comparability of settings due to the lack of a clear definition of what constitutes urban and peri-urban. There is a pressing need for improved monitoring of schistosomiasis in urban communities and consideration of treatment strategies.

Respiratory Protective Textile Devices Based on Immobilized Biocidal Enzymes and Peptides: A Spirit of Innovation

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Silver Ions ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Lytic Enzymes ◽  
The World ◽  
Respiratory Protective Devices ◽  
Pathogenic Viruses ◽  
Surgical Gowns

The global Covid-19 pandemic and cross-contamination in hospitals has led to a serious public health problem and severe economic consequences [1]. As the Coronavirus panic continues to spread across the world, engineers and scientists are working hard to find new ways of developing novel respiratory protective devices. In the context of this prevention, the creation of antimicrobial textiles for medical applications (masks, gloves, surgical gowns …) appears an urgent necessity to fight against infections caused by pathogenic viruses and bacteria. Antimicrobial agents are molecules with the ability to kill microorganisms (biocides) or prevent their growth (biostatics). There are many antimicrobial molecules that can be used for the functionalization of textiles, the most widely used in the field of textiles are triclosan and its derivatives, zeolites (silver and copper or silver and zinc aluminosilicates), quaternary ammoniums, mineral powders (silver and copper), phenols, polyphenols, chitosan, silver ions, antimicrobial peptides and lytic enzymes [2-5].

Urban Transport

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
José van
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Transport ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Transport Services ◽  
Ride Sharing ◽  
The World ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Selection Mechanisms

Platformization affects the entire urban transport sector, effectively blurring the division between private and public transport modalities; existing public–private arrangements have started to shift as a result. This chapter analyzes and discusses the emergence of a platform ecology for urban transport, focusing on two central public values: the quality of urban transport and the organization of labor and workers’ rights. Using the prism of platform mechanisms, it analyzes how the sector of urban transport is changing societal organization in various urban areas across the world. Datafication has allowed numerous new actors to offer their bike-, car-, or ride-sharing services online; selection mechanisms help match old and new complementors with passengers. Similarly, new connective platforms are emerging, most prominently transport network companies such as Uber and Lyft that offer public and private transport options, as well as new platforms offering integrated transport services, often referred to as “mobility as a service.”

Conclusion

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet O'Shea
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Fair Play ◽  
Competitive Sports ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Political Implications ◽  
The Social ◽  
Physical Play ◽  
The World ◽  
Right Wing Populism

This section contends with a central irony: Americans are among the most competitive people in the world, and yet we are among the least likely to play competitive sports in adulthood. This exercise gap is usually treated as a public health problem; the goal of this section is to treat it as a social and cultural concern. The conclusion therefore investigates the social and political implications of an American tendency to outsource physical play to experts: higher levels of fear, increased preoccupation with success at all costs, decreased creativity, and increasing rigidity of perspective and position. Specifically, the conclusion maintains that a neglect of fair play has dire consequences for democracy, a suggestion born out by the recent swing toward right-wing populism in politics.

scholarly journals Hepatitis E Virus RNA Presence in Wild Boar Carcasses at Slaughterhouses in Italy

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1624
Author(s):  
Mario Forzan ◽  
Maria Irene Pacini ◽  
Marcello Periccioli ◽  
Maurizio Mazzei
Keyword(s):  
Wild Boar ◽  
Hepatitis E Virus ◽  
Foodborne Pathogen ◽  
Hepatitis E ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
Virus Rna ◽  
The World ◽  
Undercooked Meat

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a waterborne and foodborne pathogen largely spread around the world. HEV is responsible for acute hepatitis in humans and it is also diffused in domestic and wild animals. In particular, domestic pigs represent the main reservoir of the infection and particular attention should be paid to the consumption of raw and undercooked meat as a possible zoonotic vehicle of the pathogen. Several studies have reported the presence of HEV in wild boar circulating in European countries with similar prevalence rates. In this study, we evaluated the occurrence of HEV in wild boar hunted in specific areas of Tuscany. Sampling was performed by collecting liver samples and also by swabbing the carcasses at the slaughterhouses following hunting activities. Our data indicated that 8/67 (12%) of liver samples and 4/67 (6%) of swabs were positive for HEV RNA. The presence of HEV genome on swabs indicates the possible cross-contamination of carcass surfaces during slaughtering procedures. Altogether, our data indicated that it is essential to promote health education programmes for hunters and consumers to limit the diffusion of the pathogen to humans.

scholarly journals High Diversity in Urban Areas: How Comprehensive Sampling Reveals High Ant Species Richness within One of the Most Urbanized Regions of the World

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 358
Author(s):  
François Brassard ◽  
Chi-Man Leong ◽  
Hoi-Hou Chan ◽  
Benoit Guénard
Keyword(s):  
Exotic Species ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Dual Roles ◽  
Ant Communities ◽  
Continuous Increase ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
The World ◽  
Ant Diversity ◽  
The Vertical Distribution

The continuous increase in urbanization has been perceived as a major threat for biodiversity, particularly within tropical regions. Urban areas, however, may still provide opportunities for conservation. In this study focused on Macao (China), one of the most densely populated regions on Earth, we used a comprehensive approach, targeting all the vertical strata inhabited by ants, to document the diversity of both native and exotic species, and to produce an updated checklist. We then compared these results with 112 studies on urban ants to illustrate the dual roles of cities in sustaining ant diversity and supporting the spread of exotic species. Our study provides the first assessment on the vertical distribution of urban ant communities, allowing the detection of 55 new records in Macao, for a total of 155 ant species (11.5% being exotic); one of the highest species counts reported for a city globally. Overall, our results contrast with the dominant paradigm that urban landscapes have limited conservation value but supports the hypothesis that cities act as gateways for exotic species. Ultimately, we argue for a more comprehensive understanding of ants within cities around the world to understand native and exotic patterns of diversity.

scholarly journals A study about the young consumers' consumption behaviors of street foods

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 1647-1656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nevin Sanlier ◽  
Aybuke Ceyhun Sezgin ◽  
Gulsah Sahin ◽  
Emine Yassibas
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Young People ◽  
University Students ◽  
Food Poisoning ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Good Manufacture Practice ◽  
Food Hygiene ◽  
Street Food ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
The World

Abstract As in almost every country in the world, street foods are frequently used in Turkey. To determine the preferences for these foods, a questionnaire was given to 847 individuals constituted by randomly selected high school and university students. Of the participants, 43.4% were male and 56.6% were female; the majority of them were between 19 and 22 years of age. It was found that 40.1% of the young people ate street food 2-3 times per week, whereas 23.3% were found to eat it every day. Turkish bagels, döner, boiled corn in a cup and toast are most preferred street foods. A statistically significant negative correlations were found between consumption preference scores and education, gender, and age. Although consumers know that street foods can cause contamination with microorganisms, that sellers do not pay attention to hygiene, and that these foods are raw or not cooked well, they prefer because of their cheapness, deliciousness, variety and fast service. Street foods are widely consumed in Turkish young students and because of preventing food poisoning, they should be educated about food hygiene and safety. Also, educating vendors in personal hygiene and good manufacture practice can minimize contamination risk.

Beyond studentification in United States College Towns: Neighborhood change in the knowledge nodes, 1980–2010

2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 1341-1360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan S Foote
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Middle Class ◽  
Knowledge Economy ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Neighborhood Change ◽  
Global Knowledge ◽  
College Towns ◽  
The World ◽  
Social Geographies

With the rise of the cognitive-cultural (or knowledge) economy, urban areas around the world have experienced significant changes in their social geographies. Studentification is one such change that has occurred in cities hosting major universities around the world. This study extends the analysis of social change to vital knowledge nodes in the networked global economy: United States college towns. K-means cluster analysis is used to identify neighborhood types in ten cities with major research universities across four Census years: 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010. Temporal and spatial analyses are then conducted to determine how these knowledge nodes have changed with the decline of the industrial economy and the rise of the knowledge economy. The analysis indicates the presence of six neighborhood types in these college towns: Middle Class, Minority-Concentrated, Stability, Elite, Mix/Renter, and Student. Over the course of the study period, the number of Elite neighborhoods increased considerably, while the number of Middle Class neighborhoods plummeted. The number of Mix/Renter neighborhoods also increased. Spatially, Student and Minority-Concentrated neighborhoods generally remained fairly clustered in the same areas across the study period. Elite neighborhoods spread across wider geographical areas over the course of the study period. These results are compared to previous studies on neighborhood change. The comparisons reveal that the knowledge nodes show some similar patterns to studentifying cities and to rapidly growing nodes in areas with ties to the global knowledge economy.

scholarly journals Food allergy: knowledge level of food handlers at school canteens

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Liz Martins ◽  
I Estrela
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
School Level ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Knowledge Level ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
High School Level ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
High Knowledge

Abstract Background Food allergy becomes a public health problem whose prevalence in children is increasing. Due to the daily number of children using school canteens, these settings play an important role on allergic reactions prevention, being essential to know the knowledge level of food handlers. Methods This study focused on Portuguese schools of the city of Porto, that daily offer 6500 lunches to children aged 3 to 10 years old. The study was performed in all school canteens having children with food allergies (n = 25). To evaluate knowledge level on food allergy, a questionnaire was applied to all food handlers responsible for meals serving, considering hot topics related to food allergy and cross contamination practices. Each question was scored: 0 (lack); 1 (correct); -1 (incorrect), ranged 0 to 20 points. The knowledge level was converted in a 4-level scale: <50% (non-acceptable); 50-74% (acceptable); 75-89% (good); 90-100% (very good). Results Despite of 44.9% of food handlers presented a good level knowledge, it was observed that 38.8% of participants showed non-acceptable values. The knowledge mean level was 11.9 (±4.1) points. A high knowledge was observed for cooks (13.8±3.0) and canteen managers (20.0±0.0) (p = 0.006), as well as, for a high school level. Only 36.7% of participants had training on food allergy, with no influence on knowledge level (0.610). Participants having training on food safety has a higher knowledge level (13.0±3.9) than food handlers having no training (9.8±3.7) (p = 0.008). The majority of respondents showed to know food handling good practices when exposed to case studies related to food allergy. Conclusions A positive level of knowledge on food allergies was observed for the majority of food handlers. Nevertheless, a high number of participants had no training on food allergy. This work has a potential impact on children's health, awareness for the need to implement regular training actions and surveillance systems at school canteens. Key messages A large number of food handlers showed non-acceptable knowledge levels and no training on food allergy. Professional category influenced knowledge, being important the motivation and training of all employees.

Reconceptualizing the Public Spaces of New Urban Areas in Hanoi: The End or the New of Public-Making?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Minh-Tung Tran ◽  
◽  
Tien-Hau Phan ◽  
Ngoc-Huyen Chu ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
The Public ◽  
Doi Moi ◽  
The World ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The City ◽  
Neighborhood Level

Public spaces are designed and managed in many different ways. In Hanoi, after the Doi moi policy in 1986, the transfer of the public spaces creation at the neighborhood-level to the private sector has prospered na-ture of public and added a large amount of public space for the city, directly impacting on citizen's daily life, creating a new trend, new concept of public spaces. This article looks forward to understanding the public spaces-making and operating in KDTMs (Khu Do Thi Moi - new urban areas) in Hanoi to answer the question of whether ‘socialization’/privatization of these public spaces will put an end to the urban public or the new means of public-making trend. Based on the comparison and literature review of studies in the world on public spaces privatization with domestic studies to see the differences in the Vietnamese context leading to differences in definitions and roles and the concept of public spaces in KDTMs of Hanoi. Through adducing and analyzing practical cases, the article also mentions the trends, the issues, the ways and the technologies of public-making and public-spaces-making in KDTMs of Hanoi. Win/loss and the relationship of the three most important influential actors in this process (municipality, KDTM owners, inhabitants/citizens) is also considered to reconceptualize the public spaces of KDTMs in Hanoi.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document