新疆地方性砷中毒地区人群头发的伸长和相对强力的研究

作者对新疆奎屯地方性砷中毒病区居民的头发进行了研究,结果表明:病区中砷中毒患者与非患者之间头发的伸长和相对强力无显著性差异,而与对照区居民相比,病区居民头发的伸长和相对强力均明显降低。病区居民改用符合卫生标准的水两年后,头发的伸长和相对强力明显增加。调查结果还提示,应注意地方性砷中毒病区砷对非患者的潜在危害。作者认为,用头发的伸长和相对强力来评价地方性砷中毒区的改水效果是较为敏感和客观的适宜指标。     

海南省保亭黎族地区药用植物资源调查研究

选择海南省保亭县中全村人口均为黎族人的南梗、抄芭两个村对保亭县的植物资源进行调查.结果 表明,这两个村的药用维管束植物资源有83科186属225种,其中蕨类6科6属6种,裸子植物2科2属2种,被子植物75科178属217种,225种药用植物中包含13种海南特有种[海南苏铁Cycas hainanensis C.J.Chen、海南轮环藤Cyclea hainanensis Merr.、海南地不容Stephania hainanensis H.S.Lo et Y. Tsoong. 、海南梧桐Firmiana hainanensis Kosterm.、海南韶子Nephelium topengii (Merr.)H.S.、降香黄檀(花梨母)Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen等]、7种国家级保护植物[黑桫椤Cyathea podophylla (Hook.) Cop.、野生龙眼Euphoria longan (Lour.)Steud.、野生荔枝L. chinensis Sonn. var. cuspontanea Hsue等]5种海南省重点保护植物[黄牛木Cratoxylon ligustrinum(Spach.)Bl.、细子龙Amesiodendron chinense (Merr.)Hu、龙眼Euphoria longan (Lour.)Steud.、荔枝Litchi chinensis Sonn.、海南韶子等]和15种民间药用但未见记载或仅记载有药用而未开展深入研究的药用植物[膜叶嘉赐树Casearia membranacea Hance、爪哇马儿Mukia javanica (Miq.) C.Jeffrey、大苞栝楼Trichosanthes bracteata Voigt等].对保亭黎族地区药用植物资源的科属特点进行分析,结果显示:这些药用植物在科的分布中比较集中,主要分布在蝶形花科、大戟科、菊科、姜科、芸香科、无患子科、伞形科、茜草科等科中,在属的分布中比较分散,186属中仅有30个属含有2种或2种以上的种.     

黑龙江省地方性克丁病区小学生寄生虫病情况分析

我们对黑龙江省地克病流行区397名小学生进行了寄生虫病调查。发现该区有十二种寄生虫病。肠道寄生虫病总感染率为73.3％(291/397)。口腔原虫感柒率为38.9％(35/90)。作者认为兰氏贾第鞭毛虫和口腔原虫的感染率与热带、温带、寒带无关;还认为蛔虫与蛲虫可能有拮抗作用,值得探讨。     

重庆市燃煤污染型地方性氟中毒防治调查结果分析

目的了解重庆市燃煤型氟中毒病区的防治现状,为燃煤型氟中毒的防治决策提供科学依据。方法采用分层整群抽样的方法,运用统一设计的居民防治现状调查问卷,对抽查的病区村居民进行问卷调查。调查内容包括病区居民的燃料结构、炉灶使用情况和耕种方式等,计算改炉改灶的合格率、改炉改灶的正确使用率、炉灶的报废率。运用Dean's法检查所有调查村8～12岁儿童氟斑牙患病情况,计算氟斑牙的患病率、氟斑牙指数、缺损率。按照《地方性氟骨症的临床诊断标准》,调查所有病区村16岁及以上的成人,计算氟骨症患病率。结果本次共调查8个病区县9个乡镇12个村4512户,其中使用煤作为燃料的户数为4408户,占97.70%。使用炉灶的户数为4405户,使用率达到97.63%,正确使用率为47.92%。改炉正确使用率为61.77%,报废率为0.38%。改灶正确使用率为46.36%,报废率为0.21%。8～12岁儿童氟斑牙检出率为72.88%,缺损率为8.16%,氟斑牙指数为1.29。16岁及以上氟骨症检出率为1.92%。结论通过20年的以改炉改灶为主的综合性防治,重庆市燃煤型氟中毒病情逐渐减轻,病区类型和数量逐渐减少,说明以改炉改灶为主的综合性防治措施效...     

Ochratoxin A as a potential etiologic factor in endemic nephropathy: lessons from toxicity studies in rats.

Various reports suggest that chronic dietary exposure to ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin frequently detected in various food items may be linked to the pathogenesis of endemic nephropathy, a chronic tubulointerstitial kidney disease which occurs in geographically limited areas of the Balkan region. OTA is a potent nephrotoxin and renal carcinogen. However, the pathological lesions observed in kidneys of rats treated with OTA appear be rather different from the clinical and pathological characteristics of endemic nephropathy. Moreover, increasing evidence suggests that OTA does not bind to DNA but induces tumors by an epigenetic, thresholded mechanism. This implies that there is a dose below which no adverse health effects are expected to occur. Based on food consumption data and OTA serum concentrations, it appears that human exposure - even in areas with relatively high dietary exposure to OTA such as endemic villages - is several orders of magnitude below doses known to cause nephrotoxicity and tumor formation in laboratory animals. While it is undoubtedly important to encourage prevention of food contamination by OTA and other mycotoxins, these observations suggest that OTA is not likely to be an etiological factor involved in BEN and indicate a need to search for new clues for the etiology of this endemic kidney disease.     

Anti-desmoglein 1 antibodies in healthy related and unrelated subjects and patients with pemphigus foliaceus in endemic and non-endemic areas from Tunisia

Background  Pemphigus foliaceus is an autoimmune blistering skin disease characterized by the production of pathogenic IgG autoantibodies directed against desmoglein 1.
Aim  To determine the prevalence of anti-desmoglein 1 antibodies in healthy subjects and their distribution in the different regions of Tunisia and to better identify endemic areas of pemphigus foliaceus.
Methods  We tested, by enzyme-linked immunoserbent assay, sera of 270 normal subjects recruited from different Tunisian areas and 203 related healthy relatives to 90 Tunisian pemphigus foliaceus patients.
Results  Seventy-six patients (84.4%), 20 healthy controls (7.4%), and 32 relatives (15.76%) had anti-desmoglein 1 antibodies. In southern regions where pemphigus foliaceus is associated with a significant sex ratio imbalance (9 female : 1 male in the south vs. 2.3 : 1 in the north) and a lower mean age of disease onset (33.5 in the south vs. 45 years in the north), a higher prevalence of anti-desmoglein 1 antibodies in healthy controls was observed (9.23% vs. 5.71% in the north). Interestingly, the highest prevalence of anti-desmoglein 1 antibodies in healthy relatives (up to 22%) was observed in the most rural southern localities. More than half anti-desmoglein 1–positive healthy controls were living in rural conditions with farming as occupation, which suggests that this activity may expose the subjects to particular environmental conditions.
Conclusion  These results show that the endemic features of Tunisian pemphigus foliaceus are focused in these southern areas more than in other areas and that both environmental and genetic factors contribute to the disease.

Conflicts of interest

None declared.     

Perceptions of adolescents and young people regarding endemic dental fluorosis in a rural area of Brazil: psychosocial suffering

Severe dental fluorosis is endemic in some rural areas of Brazil. This paper describes the psychosocial consequences of this condition and how it has affected the self-esteem of adolescents and young people in a rural area in Brazil. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were carried out with 23 adolescents and young people affected by severe dental fluorosis and 14 of their teachers. The study revealed the affected individuals were embarrassed to smile at strangers due to a presumed association between fluorosis and a lack of dental hygiene. Further findings include conflicts between affected and non-affected students at school, problems in pursuing a romantic relationship and uncertainties regarding a professional future. Disbelief and scepticism were observed regarding the ethical position that science can offer a solution to the problems stemming from the disease. Lesions from severe dental fluorosis appear to be a stigmatising factor and have contributed toward suffering and self-exclusion among an entire generation of adolescents and young people.     

Tuberculosis isolated to the renal allograft

Immunosuppressed patients after renal transplantation are at increased risk of developing infective complications, including tuberculosis. We describe four renal transplant patients who presented with tuberculosis isolated to the renal allograft. The three patients with adequate follow-up presented with a febrile illness 12–26 months after the transplant. The mycobacterial infection was found in the graft nephrectomy specimen in three patients. One patient with renal allograft dysfunction had a percutaneous biopsy that showed tuberculosis. The latter patient recovered renal allograft function after anti-tuberculous therapy. None of the patients had evidence of tuberculosis elsewhere. We conclude that tuberculosis isolated to the renal allograft, especially in an endemic area, may be the cause of renal dysfunction, and appropriate therapy could lead to salvage of the graft.     

鄂西北十堰市斯氏狸殖吸虫病的分布及流行趋势分析

目的了解十堰地区斯氏狸殖吸虫病的分布及流行趋势,为制定防治策略提供科学依据。方法流行区采获溪蟹镜检囊蚴,检查动物体内斯氏狸殖吸虫的感染情况,收集既往资料与现场肺吸虫抗原和酶联免疫吸附试验调查的数据作统计,分析人群肺吸虫感染情况。观察人类行为、局部环境的改变对中间宿主孳生的影响。结果环境因素、特别是人类的行为对肺吸虫中间宿主的孳生有较大的影响,局部流行的区域已不具备中间宿主孳生所需的环境,水位的提升可形成更多的溪沟和山涧,有利于螺和溪蟹的孳生。调查显示人群感染率为23.37%,经防治人群肺吸虫和中间宿主囊蚴感染率都有较大幅度降低。结论鄂西北地区作为斯氏肺吸虫病的流行区,原有的部分斯氏狸殖吸虫第二中间宿主孳生环境己发生了改变,动物宿主肺吸虫囊蚴的感染率及人群感染率呈现逐渐下降的趋势。同时随着退耕还林的实施,区域生态环境将得到进一步改善,适合中间宿主的繁殖和野生动物的活动,肺吸虫病的疫源地也将会长期存在。     

Endemic Goitre—Iodine Deficiency Disorders

Endemic goitre occurs when the prevalence of thyroid enlargement in the population of an area exceeds 10%. With few exceptions its cause is iodine deficiency superimposed on other goitrogenic factors normally present and responsible for sporadic goitre. Iodine deficiency causes significant health problems and so, the term iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) has been introduced. The earliest sign of IDD is goitre, but these disorders also include cretinism, neonatal hypothyroidism and congenital defects, as well as retardation of mental and physical development etc. IDD are a worldwide problem: WHO estimates that substantially more than 800 million people are at risk and more than 190 millions suffer from IDD; over 3 million people have cretinism and in the largest and worst affected areas many millions suffer from mental and physical developmental defects. IDD can be totally eliminated by prophylaxis using iodine administered in salt, oil or some other vehicle. Problems over preventing iodine deficiency relate to difficulties in the handling and distribution of the iodized vehicle in some parts of the world and on the political will to introduce preventive schemes. In only a very few areas does the presence of goitrogenic agents in the environment cause endemic goitre despite adequate iodine supply. In a limited number of places excessive iodine from seaweed used as staple food results in endemic goitre.