Drug and Chemical Poisoning Patterns in Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia

This research reveals that drugs and chemicals poisoning have been reported to have severe and fetal side effects on health provided by doctors in statistics and periodical records. This work aimed to explore the interaction among drug and chemical poisoning patterns concerning risk factors, especially gender, age, exposure circumstances, and outcomes in the Makkah region. A retrospective analysis was of clinical drug and chemical poisoning cases (2014–2015). The data were retrieved from the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Ministry of Health, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health received 1216 reports of drug and chemical poisoning during 2014–2015 in Makkah. This study has found that, the most affected gender was that of males (65%). The most affected age category with drug poisoning was over 15 years old (67%), but under 5 years for chemical poisoning (60%). The majority of drug poisoning cases are unknown drugs (42%), which accidental poisoning was a minority compared with other drug causes (27%). Chemical poisoning accidents were the majority causes of the recorded cases (63%). We reported healthy recovered without complications for most patients from drug and chemical poisoning (85–95%). Antidotes were administered in only (5%) of cases, and fatalities were reported (0.5% of cases). We have shown a flagrant increase in the number of people poisoned by drugs and chemical agents during 2015. Increases poisoning cases involved both genders and all studied age categories, especially males over 15 years up to 25 (drugs) and < 5 years (chemicals). Most cases were accidental (chemicals) and reported healthy recovery for most patients.

Evaluation of the observance of health protocols and requirements of the environmental and occupational health center against COVID-19 in men’s hairdresser salons of Birjand, Iran, in 2020

Background and Aims: The Coronavirus has become a global pandemic that has affected most countries in the world. Hairdresser salon as a public place can transmit infectious diseases, such as AIDS, hepatitis as well as viral, fungal, and skin diseases that are often due to non-compliance with hygiene principles. This study aimed to investigate the observance of health instructions regarding the prevention and control of Coronavirus disease in men's hairdresser salons in Birjand, Iran, in 2020. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 145 hairdresser salons in Birjand were selected through the random sampling method. The data collection tool was a checklist that was prepared according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 18) using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests at a significance level of ≤ 0.05. Results: The findings showed that the total mean score of the observance of workplace health and hygiene guidelines was 24.28±2.52 and the average observance of health instructions in the field of health and personal protection, building hygiene, tool and equipment hygiene, and food hygiene were 13.73±2.08, 2.31±0.68, 7.22±0.64, and 1.01±0.11, respectively. Observance of health instructions was found to have a significant relationship with age and geographical region (P≤0.05). Conclusion: According to the results, it seems necessary to train hairdressers in terms of observing health instructions. Moreover, men’s hairdresser salons should be continuously monitored by health experts.

Guidance Level for Brevetoxins in French Shellfish

Brevetoxins (BTXs) are marine biotoxins responsible for neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP) after ingestion of contaminated shellfish. NSP is characterized by neurological, gastrointestinal and/or cardiovascular symptoms. The main known producer of BTXs is the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, but other microalgae are also suspected to synthesize BTX-like compounds. BTXs are currently not regulated in France and in Europe. In November 2018, they have been detected for the first time in France in mussels from a lagoon in the Corsica Island (Mediterranean Sea), as part of the network for monitoring the emergence of marine biotoxins in shellfish. To prevent health risks associated with the consumption of shellfish contaminated with BTXs in France, a working group was set up by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses). One of the aims of this working group was to propose a guidance level for the presence of BTXs in shellfish. Toxicological data were too limited to derive an acute oral reference dose (ARfD). Based on human case reports, we identified two lowest-observed-adverse-effect levels (LOAELs). A guidance level of 180 µg BTX-3 eq./kg shellfish meat is proposed, considering a protective default portion size of 400 g shellfish meat.

The Society of Toxicologic Pathology: Advances and Adventures in the First 50 Years

The Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP, https://www.toxpath.org /) was founded in North America in 1971 as a nonprofit scientific and educational association to promote the professional practice of pathology as applied to pharmaceutical and environmental safety assessment. In the ensuing 50 years, the STP has become a principal global leader in the field. Society membership has expanded to include toxicologic pathologists and allied scientists (eg, toxicologists, regulatory reviewers) from many nations. In addition to serving membership needs for professional development and networking, major STP outreach activities include production of articles and presentations designed to optimize toxicologic pathology procedures (“best practice” recommendations), communicate core principles of pathology evaluation and interpretation (“points to consider” and “opinion” pieces), and participation in international efforts to harmonize diagnostic nomenclature. The STP has evolved into an essential resource for academic, government, and industrial organizations that employ and educate toxicologic pathologists as well as use toxicologic pathology data across a range of applications from assessing product safety (therapies, foods, etc) to monitoring and maintaining environmental and occupational health. This article recapitulates the important milestones and accomplishments of the STP during its first 50 years.

Dermal Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Baby Diapers: A Critical Review of the Quantitative Health Risk Assessment Con-Ducted by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES)

In January 2019, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) published an opinion on risks related to the presence of hazardous chemicals in infant diapers. ANSES found that health reference values were largely exceeded for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins (PCCD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorobiphenyls (DL-PCBs). The levels of formaldehyde and of some fragrances were also considered potentially unsafe. Therefore, ANSES concluded that actions have to be taken to restrict levels of these contaminants in diapers. Under the exposure scenario deemed the most reliable by ANSES, estimates of cancer risks of the most potent PAHs detected in diapers exceeded 10-3 and hazard quotients for neurobehavioral effects attained values up to 66. Regarding dioxins and DL-PCBs, ANSES derived a hazard quotient of 12 for the risk of decreased sperm count at adult age. The aim of this critical review was to examine whether the exposure and risk assessment conducted by ANSES contained potential flaws that could explain such a high exceedance of health reference values. The review will also put into perspective the exposure from diapers with that from breast milk whose benefits for child&rsquo;s health are undisputable despite contamination by PAHs, dioxins and DL-PCBS.

Association of Mercury Exposure and Maternal Sociodemographics on Birth Outcomes of Indigenous and Tribal Women in Suriname

Information regarding adverse birth outcomes (ABO) of Indigenous and Tribal women living in the remote tropical rainforest of Suriname, where mercury (Hg) use is abundant in artisanal gold mining, is not available. In the context of a health system analysis, we examined the association between Hg exposure, maternal sociodemographics on the ABO of Indigenous and Tribal women living in Suriname’s interior and its capital, Paramaribo. ABO were determined in pregnant women enrolled from December 2016 to July 2019 in the Caribbean Consortium for Environmental and Occupational Health prospective environmental epidemiologic cohort study. Associations were explored using Pearson’s χ2-test and the Mann–Whitney U-test. Among 351 singleton participants, 32% were Indigenous, residing mainly in the interior (86.8%), and 23.1% had ABO. Indigenous participants had higher rates of ABO (29.8% vs. 19.8%) and preterm birth (PTB) (21.2% vs. 12.4%), higher Hg levels, delivered at a younger age, were less educated, and had lower household income compared to Tribal participants. Multivariate logistic regression models revealed that Indigenous participants had higher odds of ABO (OR = 3.60; 95% CI 1.70–7.63) and PTB (OR = 3.43; 95% CI 1.48–7.96) compared with Tribal participants, independent of Hg exposure and age at delivery. These results highlight the importance of effective risk reduction measures in support of Indigenous mothers, families, and communities.

Discussing the future of open peer-review: a survey of journals in the JCR Public, Environmental and Occupational Health category

The journals listed in the JCR Public, Environmental and Occupational Health category are examined by the authors in order to check how many of them practice some kind of Open Peer-Review (OPR). An overview of the different OPR methods identified is given: a variety of practices considered as OPR even though the number of journals using them is very small. Furthermore, the possible future evolution of OPR is examined.