Risk factors prevalence for cardiovascular diseases among atomic power industry enterprises personnel

A selective cross-sectional study based on Regional Medico-Dosimetric Register was carried out in some Siberian Group of Chemical Enterprises (SGCE) workers (aged 40-50) with the aim of studying the most important risk factors prevalence for cardiovascular diseases development. 2010 persons examined with the use of standardized epidemiological methods made up 32.6% of total SGCE personnel aged 40-50. Purpose: the study of risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, their prevalence, intensity and significance in atomic power plants workers exposed to occupational long-term ionizing radiation in a "low" dose range (cumulative doses in the range up to 1 Sv). The study of prevalence of risk factors for CVDs development in men occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation revealed frequent changes in the type of work performed, higher levels of psychoemotional tension, as well as high prevalence of low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) and obesity. Women workers of the main production were found to have hypercholesterolaemia more often than those of the auxiliary production. Annual health checks of nuclear workers should be extended to include waist and hips measurement, body mass index (BMI) calculation, lipid factors evaluation, as well as stress tests (bicycle and/or stress echocardiography) in case there are three or more risk factors for CVDs for workers of the main production.     

An evaluation of the scope of the circulation of Salmonella among the workers of commercial poultry- and meat-packing enterprises based on serological study data in the PHA test]

Serum samples from 641 workers of large poultry and meat-packing plants were studied in the passive hemagglutination test with the use of Salmonella complex and serogroup diagnostica. A specific increase in the level of anti-Salmonella antibodies in 60.7% of poultry plant workers and in 9.8% of meat-packing plant workers was established. Among the workers of the poultry plants the most pronounced immune shifts were detected in persons having contacts with sick poultry and pathological material and among the employees of the meat-packing plant, in those who ate raw sausage meat. A high level of antibodies in the professional groups under study was observed as early as in the first year of work at the plant and persisted over the whole period of this work. Under the conditions of constant contamination of the workers of poultry and meat-packing plants with small doses of salmonellae specific immunity to this infection was seemingly induced, which inhibited the development of the manifest forms of infection, but did not prevent the formation of chronic carrier state.     

Natural foci of ornithosis in Kazakhstan]

An investigation (clinical, immunological and epidemiological) of the workers of various fowl-farms was carried out in various regions of Kazakhstan for a number for years; the sera of domestic fowl and birds was studied as well. On the basis of examination of 6264 persons the greatest percentage of ornithosis was revealed among the workers of the slaughter house and the shop for the processing of the fowl. Examination of 4749 sera of bird blood showed that the highest incidence of ornithosis was among doves and ducks (43.2 and 11.6%), and the least--in chickens (5.3%); there proved to be a direct relationship between the infection of man and birds. Thus, it was shown that domestic fowl and also doves served as the source of ornithosis infection; foci of ornithosis were revealed in a number of Kazakhstan regions as a result of these investigations.     

Frequent simian foamy virus infection in persons occupationally exposed to nonhuman primates

The recognition that AIDS originated as a zoonosis heightens public health concerns associated with human infection by simian retroviruses endemic in nonhuman primates (NHPs). These retroviruses include simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), simian T-cell lymphotropic virus (STLV), simian type D retrovirus (SRV), and simian foamy virus (SFV). Although occasional infection with SIV, SRV, or SFV in persons occupationally exposed to NHPs has been reported, the characteristics and significance of these zoonotic infections are not fully defined. Surveillance for simian retroviruses at three research centers and two zoos identified no SIV, SRV, or STLV infection in 187 participants. However, 10 of 187 persons (5.3%) tested positive for SFV antibodies by Western blot (WB) analysis. Eight of the 10 were males, and 3 of the 10 worked at zoos. SFV integrase gene (int) and gag sequences were PCR amplified from the peripheral blood lymphocytes available from 9 of the 10 persons. Phylogenetic analysis showed SFV infection originating from chimpanzees (n = 8) and baboons (n = 1). SFV seropositivity for periods of 8 to 26 years (median, 22 years) was documented for six workers for whom archived serum samples were available, demonstrating long-standing SFV infection. All 10 persons reported general good health, and secondary transmission of SFV was not observed in three wives available for WB and PCR testing. Additional phylogenetic analysis of int and gag sequences provided the first direct evidence identifying the source chimpanzees of the SFV infection in two workers. This study documents more frequent infection with SFV than with other simian retroviruses in persons working with NHPs and provides important information on the natural history and species origin of these infections. Our data highlight the importance of studies to better define the public health implications of zoonotic SFV infections.     

The characteristics of the course of tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients and prophylactic measures

Morbidity in HIV infection and tuberculosis in persons having these two infections in association was analyzed. According to the data for the end of the first quarter of 1997 the presence of association of HIV infection with tuberculosis was found in 91 patients. In 70.3% of cases HIV infection was contacted before the appearance of tuberculosis and in 18.7% of cases, after it; in 11% of cases the order of appearance of these two diseases could not be established. The study revealed that the markedness of the clinical picture of tuberculosis was determined by the progress of HIV infection.     

Chromosome aberrations in employees from fossil-fueled and nuclear-power plants

Chromosome aberrations were scored in 59 persons from fossil-fueled plants, in 89 persons from nuclear-power plants and in 23 controls. A significant increase in acentric chromosome fragments and dicentric chromosomes compared to the control group was observed in both types of workers. Moreover, the number of abnormal cells was significantly greater in workers of conventional plants than in those of nuclear-power plants. When adjusted for loss of lymphocytes according to a half-life of 3 years, this difference was also significant for the number of dicentric chromosomes observed. A significant effect of length of exposure or of frequency of radiological examinations could be discerned only in the group of workers from conventional plants.     

The intensity of the immune response to the hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome virus among different population groups of Bashkortostan]

For the first time the natural immune stratum to hemorrhagic fever with the renal syndrome (HFRS) among the population of all regions of Bashkiria, a large territory with the highest morbidity level in this infection in the USSR, was studied. 9,176 persons over 15 years of age were examined by radioimmune techniques. Analysis of the immune structure of the population revealed that the share of immune males was higher than that of immune females, but the difference was less than the difference between males and females among the registered HFRS patients. Among children immune persons were almost completely absent. The immune stratum increased rather slowly among persons under 40 years, and only from this age the considerable increase of the immune stratum was observed (up to 16.2%). High risk groups included persons of such professions as forestry workers, truck and tractor drivers, oil workers and prospectors, livestock breeders, builders. These data may be used for the formation of groups to be vaccinated against HFRS in foci with different degrees of activity. Before vaccination the correction of groups to be vaccinated in a given region should be carried out, taking into account the immune structure of the population and the specific features of the local landscape and economy.     

Very-large-scale production of antibodies in plants: The biologization of manufacturing

Gene technology has facilitated the biologization of manufacturing, i.e. the use and production of complex biological molecules and systems at an industrial scale. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are currently the major class of biopharmaceutical products, but they are typically used to treat specific diseases which individually have comparably low incidences. The therapeutic potential of mAbs could also be used for more prevalent diseases, but this would require a massive increase in production capacity that could not be met by traditional fermenter systems. Here we outline the potential of plants to be used for the very-large-scale (VLS) production of biopharmaceutical proteins such as mAbs. We discuss the potential market sizes and their corresponding production capacities. We then consider available process technologies and scale-down models and how these can be used to develop VLS processes. Finally, we discuss which adaptations will likely be required for VLS production, lessons learned from existing cell culture-based processes and the food industry, and practical requirements for the implementation of a VLS process.     

HIV infection and parenteral virus hepatitis in the Krasnodar territory

The analysis of the morbidity dynamics of HIV infection, hepatitis B and C in the Krasnodar territory for 1996-2003 is presented. The tendency of strengthening direct correlation between age-dependent rates in these groups of diseases has been established. The correlation coefficient (rxy) is at present +0.851 (HIV infection-virus hepatitis B) and +0.892 (HIV infection-virus hepatitis C). The highest levels of primary morbidity are registered in persons aged 20-39 years. The established epidemiological parallels between HIV infection and parenteral hepatitis require the development of the unified strategy of the prophylaxis of these diseases on the federal and regional levels.     

A national survey of laboratory animal workers concerning occupational risks for zoonotic diseases

In this cross-sectional survey of laboratory animal workers in the United States, 23 of 1367 persons reported 28 cases of infection with zoonotic agents from research animals at their workplace during the past 5 years, with six persons indicating that their infections were medically confirmed. Based on these data, the annualized incidence rate for work-related transmission of zoonotic agents from laboratory animals was 45 cases per 10,000 worker-years at risk (95% confidence interval, 30 to 65 cases), approximating the rate for nonfatal occupational illnesses in the agricultural production-livestock industry and for those employed in the health services during 2002. Logistic regression analysis found various characteristics of persons and their employers that were significantly associated with the likelihood of having been medically evaluated for exposure to a zoonotic agent from laboratory animals. Most (95.595% +/- 1.1%) persons working with laboratory animals or their tissues indicated that they knew whom to talk to at their institution for medical evaluation and care should they be concerned about the possibility of an occupationally acquired zoonotic disease in future. However, occupational illnesses and exposures among laboratory animal workers was underreported, as 10 of the 28 (36%) alleged zoonotic disease cases were not communicated to the employee's supervisor. Lack of concern about the potential significance to their health and the perception of punitive consequences to the employee were some of the reasons cited for underreporting, an issue which must be vigorously addressed in the interests of continuing progress toward zoonotic disease prevention in this field.     

Monthly dynamics of the epidemic process in viral hepatitis B

Monthly fluctuations in the number of registered cases of acute viral hepatitis B and HBsAg carriership have been studied. The study has revealed that, similarly to other infectious diseases, viral hepatitis is characterized by monthly fluctuations in the intensity of the epidemic process. Such fluctuations are characteristic of all known clinical forms of this infection; they are determined by the specific pathogenetic features of the process and by the ways of the transfer of the virus. The vernal rise of the infection is explained by activation of the manifest and asymptomatic chronic variants of the infectious process and, as the consequence of a rise in the number of asymptomatic cases, by a higher incidence rate of post-transfusion hepatitis infection. The autumnal rise of the infection results from the action of natural factors contributing to the transfer of the virus. Both rises are interrelated and interdependent. The seasonal fluctuations of the epidemic process should be taken into consideration when planning and implementing prophylactic and epidemic-control measures.     

Making the health care system 'safe' for persons with HIV infection or AIDS.

If health care reform is implemented in states and nationally, the safety of this process needs to be examined for persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Reform should assure ongoing prevention and transmission control of HIV and continuous coverage of medical costs for persons ill with HIV or AIDS. These persons currently benefit from various state and federal categoric programs designed to assure access to preventive and personal care services. Washington State has passed health care reform legislation that envisions integrating these programs to provide a system of population-based and personal health care. This legislation was analyzed using existing epidemiologic and entitlement information about persons with HIV infection or AIDS in the state to assess its effect. The relationship between public health and personal care services will be a central concern for those with HIV infection or AIDS, and complete coverage of this group may be achieved relatively late in the process of implementing health care reform. Health personnel planning under health care reform will affect the delivery of HIV- and AIDS-related services. Including treatment of AIDS in the basic benefit package merits particular attention. These issues parallel those being faced by the nation as a whole as it seeks to ensure epidemic disease control and compassionate care for long-term disabling illness if health care reform is implemented.     

Infection of tomato roots using callii of broomrape

Parasitic weeds like members of the genera Orobanche and Striga cause heavy damage to grain, vegetables and other field crops. The germinating seedlings of the parasites attack the roots of their hosts, following a series of recognition events that control germination, seedling growth and attachment to the host root. An in vitro system has been developed that allows the production of partially differentiated callii of Orobanche aegyptiaca Pers. Protrusions of subcultures of these callii behaved like radicles of germinating seeds. Using this system normal infection of tomato roots was obtained in vitro. The infection process included haustorium formation and the development of young Orobanche plants under aseptic conditions. The system developed should now permit a study of biochemical events during infection of the host by Orobanche .     

Overview of the ability of different treatment methods for liquid and solid manure to inactivate pathogens

The use of manure as a fertilizer in agriculture includes the risk of spreading pathogenic infectious agents to the environment, to animals and humans. The treatment of manure can help avoid or reduce these risks. Even if the treatment is dominated by economic considerations such as biogas production, ammonia stripping or phosphorous precipitation, the hygienic aspect should be kept in mind. Otherwise, new infection chains may be established by the use of insufficiently treated manure by-products such as fertilizers still containing infective pathogens. Treatment plants should use a concept according to HACCP principles that includes hazard analysis, risk assessment, the determination of process relevant CCPs and the validation of the process by determining the hygienizing efficiency using representative test organisms as well as microbial end product supervision. Treatment methods can be divided into physical, chemical and microbiological treatment, sometimes used in combination. For economical reasons, only composting or anaerobic treatment (biogas) or, to a minor extent, aerobic thermophilic stabilization (ATS) are used as routine preventive measures on a farm level. In cases of outbreaks of notifiable diseases both physical and chemical treatment of manure can lead to reliable disinfected/pasteurised end products which can be used in agriculture without long-lasting risks for soil fertility or the environment.     

Use of viral vectors for vaccine production in plants

The small size of plant viral genomes, the ease with which they can be manipulated, and the simplicity of the infection process is making the viral vectors an attractive alternative to the transgenic systems for the expression of foreign proteins in plants. One use of these virus expression systems is for vaccine production. There are two basic types of viral system that have been developed for the production of immunogenic peptides and proteins in plants: epitope presentation and polypeptide expression systems. In this review, we discuss advances made in this field.     

Results of cytogenetic testing of workers exposed to ethylene oxide

The present work was undertaken to test cytogenetically workers exposed to Ethylene oxide (EO) aiming at detecting possible adverse effects of this agent to man. In the period 1983-1984, female workers of the Laboratory of Toxicology and the Production laboratory of ethylene oxide production in a chemical plant, and female workers in a sterilization centers in a medical facilities, were repeatedly examined. In 1984, also workers in ethylene oxide production in a chemical plant were tested. For each exposed group a control group was simultaneously examined, using cytogenetic analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes. General examination of the health condition of exposed workers were organized in the framework of preventive examinations. The exposure level to ethylene oxide in the working environment was simultaneously monitored. The results have revealed an increase in chromosomal aberrations in lymphocytes of persons exposed professionally to EO at the given exposure levels. Smoking was associated with increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations in exposed workers; the difference as compared to non-smokers was however insignificant. By contrast, difference in chromosomal aberration frequency between smokers and non-smokers was significant in the control group.     

Infection Status of Endoparasites in Foreigner Workers Living in Cheonan City,Chungnam Province,Korea

At present, more than 500,000 foreigner workers, most of them from Asian countries with high parasitic infection rates, are working in Korea. Since investigation into the prevalence of parasitic infections in foreigner workers has not yet been conducted in Korea, the present study was performed to determine the parasitic infection status of foreigner workers living in Cheonan City, Chungcheongnam-do (Chungnam Province) and to plan, on that basis, effective control measures. From October to December 2013, the parasitic infection status of 231 foreigner workers employed at selected Cheonan-si small businesses was investigated by both stool examination and ELISA. A total of 60 individuals (26.0%) were found to be infected with parasites. The stool examination detected 14 positive cases (6.1%), and ELISA revealed 50 positive people (21.6%), for at least a kind of parasitic disease. The most common infection was cysticercosis (8.7%), followed by toxocariasis (7.8%) and clonorchiasis (7.4%). Since it was proved that parasitic infections were prevalent among foreigner workers living in Cheonan City, more comprehensive study is urgently needed in order to understand the nationwide status of parasitic infections in foreigner workers.     

Risk of cerebrovascular disease incidence in the cohort of Mayak production association workers first employed during 1948-1958

Incidence of cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) has been studied in a cohort of 12210 workers first employed at one of the main plants (reactors, radiochemical or plutonium) of the Mayak nuclear facility during 1948-1958 and followed up to the end of 2000. Information on external gamma doses is available for virtually all (99.9%) of these workers; the mean (+/- one standard deviation) total gamma dose was 0.91 +/- 0.95 Gy (99% percentile 3.9 Gy) for men and 0.65 +/- 0.75 Gy (99% percentile 2.99 Gy) for women. Plutonium body burden was measured only for 30.0% of workers. Amongst those monitored, the mean (+/- standard deviation) cumulative liver dose from plutonium alpha exposure was 0.40 +/- 1.15 Gy (99% percentile 5.88 Gy) for men and 0.81 +/- 4.60 Gy (99% percentile 15.95 Gy) for women 4418 cases (first diagnosis) of CVD were identified in the studied cohort. A statistically significant increasing trend in CVD incidence with total external gamma dose was revealed after adjustment for non-radiation factors and internal exposure from incorporated plutonium-239. Excess relative risk per Gy was 0.464 (95% confidence interval 0.360-0.567). Incidence of CVD was statistically significantly higher for the workers chronically exposed to external gamma rays at a dose above 1.0 Gy A statistically significant increasing trend in CVD incidence with internal liver dose from plutonium alpha exposure was observed after adjustment for non-radiation factors and external exposure. ERR per Gy was 0.155 (95% confidence interval 0.075-0.235). CVD incidence was statistically significantly higher among workers with a plutonium liver dose above 0.1 Gy, although the trend estimates differed between workers at different plants. The incidence risk estimates for external radiation are generally compatible with estimates from the study of Chernobyl clean-up workers, although the incidence data point to higher risk estimates compared to those from the Japanese A-bomb survivors.