International Journal of Environmental Health Research最新文献

Population growth requires food production and supports wastewater reuse for irrigation, practice which introduces toxic metals into soil, severely affecting plant and human health. Water/vegetables/soil samples were analyzed for As, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn, Mn, and Fe utilizing ICP-MS. Adults and children health risk was evaluated using hazard quotient (HQ). Electrical conductivity, pH, and organic matter varied according to irrigation water and soil samples. Heavy metals between 0.05 and 781.97 mg/kg were present at lower concentrations in vegetables irrigated with tap water (TV1), whereas heavy metals between 1275 and 47 mg/kg exhibited reduced concentrations in soil exposed to tap water (TS1). All the heavy metal concentrations between 0.03 and 219.7 mg/L were lower in tap water. HQ associated with 77.8% metals intake via TV1 was lower in both children and adults. While the HQ of almost 85% metal consumption by adults through vegetables was below one, HQ of nearly 83% of metals consumption exceeded one. This implies that the risk associated with heavy metals in children was almost 100% high than adults. Therefore, remediation technology using volcanic adsorbent rocks is suggested to remove toxic metals from water used to irrigate vegetables to unsure food security and human health.

During September 2023, five animal shelter workers reported developing dermatitis after contact with dry pet food bags donated by a pet store. We investigated to determine outbreak source and mitigate further spread. A case was defined as the onset of pruritus within 12 hours of contact with pet food bags or surfaces contaminated by them, occurring between September 1 and 8, 2023, in any setting. We interviewed persons presenting pruritis and requested photographs of their lesions, which a dermatologist reviewed. In total, seven cases were identified, including five among shelter workers and two among drivers who handled the pet food donation. Six (86%) persons reported contact with the exterior of donated pet food bags; all six persons who touched the unopened pet food bags experienced dermatitis. The dermatologist determined lesions were consistent with arthropod exposure. To assess arthropod contamination on the pet food bags, we adhered masking tape to their exterior and collected ≥20 samples; an entomologist examined these samples. Itch mites, Pyemotes herfsi, were present on all pet food bag samples. Although Pyemotes-associated outbreaks are rare in public health literature, practitioners can consider raising awareness of this dermatitis source.

The presence of human JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) in wastewater serves as a notable marker of human fecal and urine of infected individuals. Therefore, this study investigated the occurrence of JCPyV in wastewater samples from diverse sites across Ahvaz city. To this aim, 60 wastewater samples were collected from different areas. The samples were concentrated using polyethylene glycol 6000 prior to isolating the viral nucleic acids. Circulating JCPyV genotypes in the wastewater samples were determined. Furthermore, nested PCR was performed to amplify the non-coding control region (NCCR) of the JCPyV genome to assess for the presence of nucleotide mutations within this region. JCPyV DNA in wastewater samples was quantified using SYBR Green real-time PCR (qPCR). The analysis showed 16/60 (26.6%) samples tested positive for both JCPyV VP1 and NCCR genomic regions. The analysis of phylogenetic tree revealed that JCPyV genotype 3 is circulating in this region. The outcomes of sequencing NCCR-JCPyV blocks isolates were found to be archetype. However, the occurrence of nucleotide mutations was observed in NCCR sections "c", "d", and "f" blocks. The concentration of JCPyV DNA in 16/60 (26.6%) positive wastewater samples ranged from 3.71 × 103 to 1.31 × 105 genomic copies per liter.

Chloramphenicol (CAP) is a banned antibiotic in food-producing animals due to its genotoxic properties and potential carcinogenicity. Despite existing safety regulations, CAP residues have been detected in milk worldwide, raising public health concerns. In Armenia and its neighboring Caucasus countries, this is the first study to assess the risks of CAP residues in raw bovine milk using the margin of exposure (MOE) approach while considering various potential health effects of CAP exposure. Within the national residue monitoring program, CAP residues in raw milk from all regions of Armenia were analyzed using ELISA for screening and LC-MS/MS for confirmation. CAP was detected in most (83.12%) of the 121 raw milk samples, with 56.2% exceeding the European Reference Point for Action (0.15 µg/kg). Meanwhile, risk assessment outcomes indicated that estimated exposure levels of CAP in raw milk are unlikely to pose health concerns for the general adult Armenian population. Nevertheless, this study highlights the issue of illicit veterinary drug use in Armenia, potentially affecting antimicrobial resistance as well as international trade. Strengthening monitoring, raising consumer awareness, and enforcing stricter regulations are crucial. Additionally, an integrated, One Health-based food chain control system - engaging farmers, food producers, veterinarians, and public authorities is essential.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of a 10-week park visit program on subjective well-being, emotional stress, health-related quality of life, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality of older adults living in subsidized senior housing (SSH) and to explore residents' perceptions of the program. Thirty-four residents from four SSH participated in the study. The program involved transporting residents from each SSH to the same urban neighborhood park once a week for 10 consecutive weeks. During each park visit, research assistants monitored each resident from a distance while the resident walked for 20-30 min. Data from self-reported questionnaires and hair samples were collected at pre- and post-program evaluations. Quantitative analysis showed that subjective well-being scores increased significantly after the program. In addition, significant improvements of hair cortisol levels were observed after outlying change scores in hair cortisol levels were removed. Feedback from exit interviews revealed four themes: improved mental well-being with reduced stress, increased physical activity, improved self-efficacy, and increased reflection on health and lifestyle. These findings provide preliminary evidence that a 10-week program of once-weekly park visits lasting about 30 min can improve the emotional health of SSH residents.

In the era of ongoing antimicrobial resistance crisis, there is an unprecedented need for the development of novel antimicrobial options. The purpose of this study was to assess antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of the Mediterranean red seaweed: Ganonema farinosum and brown seaweed: Dictyopteris polypodioides against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. The methanolic and chloroformic extracts obtained from G. farinosum and D. polypodioides specifically exhibited antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. When used in combination with the commonly prescribed antibiotic ciprofloxacin, the methanolic and chloroformic G. farinosum and D. polypodioides extracts demonstrated additive and synergistic effects against Gram-positive bacteria. Since biofilm formation is a complicating factor in many infections, we have tested the impact of extracts on inhibiting biofilm formation, which revealed significant inhibitions in the biofilm formation of Gram-positive bacteria at sub-MIC concentrations. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of both seaweed species revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds including some with previously demonstrated anti-quorum sensing potency. Collectively, our data reveal selective antibacterial and antibiofilm activity by G. farinosum and D. polypodioides against Gram-positive bacteria, which could be further investigated as potential new avenues against bacterial infections.

The evaluation of radon concentration in meal cooking plates is crucial, as radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer. For this purpose, 65 meal dish samples were collected in Erbil city. The radon concentration, surface exhalation rate, mass exhalation rate, and effective radon content, as well as the annual effective dose and excess lifetime cancer risk, were measured using a RAD-7 detector. The results demonstrate that the range of radon concentration, surface and mass exhalation rates, effective radon content, annual effective dose, and excess lifetime cancer risk in the studied samples are 14.2-80.1 Bq/m³, 0.027-0.151 Bq/m². h, 0.86-3.83 mBq/kg. h, 0.114-0.508 Bq/kg, 0.356-2.021 mSv/y, and (1.25-7.07)×10^-3 respectively. Radon concentrations in all samples fell below the ICRP's recommended activity range of 200-600 Bq/m³. The results indicated that the rate of radon release was less than the global average of 57.600 Bq/m².h. Additionally, the annual effective dose for a minority of the samples (15 out of 65, or 23%) exceeded the global average value of 1.2 mSv/y. The study reveals a strong correlation between radon activity concentration, surface exhalation rate, and mass exhalation rate, suggesting that certain ceramic plate dishes in kitchens increase radon pollution levels.

Amid rapid urbanization and rising health challenges, nature-based interventions (NBI) have emerged as a multidisciplinary focus for enhancing well-being and environmental sustainability. This study analyzed 35,418 publications from the Web of Science (1985-2023) using bibliometric tools (CiteSpace, VOSviewer) to map trends in NBI research. The annual number of publications, research institutions, and keywords were systematically analyzed. The conclusions drawn from this analysis are as follows: (1) The annual publication volume in the field of nature-based interventions has been steadily growing, reflecting the rising interest and recognition of its importance within the research community; (2) The research direction is gradually exhibiting diverse characteristics, spanning multiple disciplinary fields; (3) The current research predominantly emphasizes on four dimensions of nature-based interventions: physiological therapy, mental health, rehabilitation effects of physical activity, and the enhancement of quality of life across various population group. However, systematic exploration of the benefits of nature-based interventions for the sub-healthy population remains limited particularly concerning their impact on social health. Therefore, future research should place greater emphasis on examining the interactive relationship between nature-based interventions and the social health of sub-healthy populations, offering valuable references and inspiration for further research.

This study investigates the spatial distribution of dengue incidence in Bangladesh and its correlation with climate factors at the district level. Data from the Institute for Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) were used. Poisson, zero-inflated, and negative binomial models were employed, with the negative binomial regression model selected based on Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) values. Spatial mapping revealed varying dengue incidence across districts, with higher transmission in specific areas. Temperature and rainfall significantly influenced dengue incidence. Notably, increases in minimum temperature were associated with higher dengue cases in districts such as Kurigram and Chapainawabganj. A negative relation was observed between maximum temperature and dengue cases (e.g. for Dhaka District, Exp(β) = 0.24, (95% CI: 0.14, 0.40)), while rainfall's impact varied by region, with notably increasing cases in Khulna (Exp(β) = 1.05, (95% CI: 1.04, 1.06)), Madaripur (Exp(β) = 1.28, (95% CI: 1.25, 1.31)), and Satkhira (Exp(β) = 1.15, (95% CI: 1.14, 1.16)). The study highlights the importance of incorporating spatial and climate factors into prevention efforts, aiding in proactive district-level strategies to mitigate dengue's public health burden in Bangladesh.

Studies on the effect of temperature variation on the number of hospitalizations for stroke-related diseases in rural Northwest China are rare, and there is a gap in related studies in Pingliang, a less developed city located in Northwest China. We collected hospitalization data for stroke patients covered by the New Rural Cooperative Medical Insurance in Pingliang City and meteorological data from the Gansu Meteorological Bureau. Using quasi-Poisson regression combined with distributed lag nonlinear models (DLNM), we compared the effects of temperature change between neighboring days (TCN) and diurnal temperature range (DTR) on stroke-related hospitalizations in rural areas. The analysis indicated that DTR exerted a significantly greater impact on stroke incidence than TCN (RR = 1.267, 95% CI: 1.193-1.346 vs. RR = 1.168, 95% CI: 1.055-1.293). Both DTR and TCN exhibited a nonlinear U-shaped relationship. Sex-stratified analysis revealed that men were more adversely affected by low TCN and DTR levels than women, whereas women exhibited a greater susceptibility to high TCN levels. An age-stratified analysis indicated that adults were more vulnerable to the effects of DTR than elderly, who were more affected by high TCN. No significant differences were observed across the age groups under low TCN conditions.