JOURNAL OF SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH
Year:2002 | Volume:1 | Issue:3|Papers Count:9

Heavy metal contamination of food products, especially seafood is a major concern because of the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of metal contaminants. Their detection in fish is an indicator of marine pollution. In this study heavy metal concentrations were measured in a sample of commercially obtained canned tuna; after digestion and preparation of 21 such samples, levels of mercury and arsenic were determined by the hydride generation technique, while those of lead and cadmium were measured by the graphite furnace system. Tin levels were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometery. The mean contents of heavy metals expressed in ug/g of wet weight were 0.113±0.027(range 0.082-0.16) for mercury, 0.129±0.082(0.037-0.262) for arsenic, 0.029±0.019(0.006-0.088) for cadmium, and 0.33± 0.12(0.016-0.049) for lead. No tin was detected any of the samples. The concentrations of toxic metals in this study were below the WHO/FAO-recommended levels, but further studies are needed to assess the risk associated other types of food.

Sickness absence has been increasingly used as a health index in workplace populations. Nowadays, it is believed that low back - pain is the main cause of absence and disability among people working in bad ergonomic conditions. Also, researchers found that low backpain is the main cause of disability among mine workers who manually handle heavy loads. This research was conducted into two phases to determine the absence indexes due to all diseases and low back-pain among 1186 coal miners in the Tezerea coal mine, located in the Shahrood district, in north eastearn Iran.In the first phase of the study, all medical histories of miners were controlled. The data of those workers who had sickness and low back-pain absence for more than 3 consercutive days during Februray 1999-2000 have been recorded. Risk factors of low back - pain were determined by the Plible method at second phase.The frequency rate of all sickness and low back-pain absence were 32.8% and 6% , respectively.The incidence rate of all sicknesses and low back- pain were 24% and 5%, respectively. The average absence duration for all sicknesses and low back - pain, respectively were 16.1 and 9.9 days. We found a significant relation between low back-pain absence and manual handling beyond forearm length (p=0.005 and OR=10.75). Also, P values and the Odds Ratio (OR) for repetitive manual handling, contractor workers and working in a cold workplace were p=0.0005 OR 2.21, p=0.025 OR= 2.21, and p=0.018 OR= 2.54, respectively.Research on sickness absence is a very complex subject and it is dependent on many factors, such as workforce configuration, employment polices, and absence of a definite perception. We found that 6269 working days were lost due to occupation sickness among 1186 miners; absence rates due to low back-pain among drillers and extractors are high in comparison with other miners. Personal individual characteristics, morphological, biomechanical, psychological stress and workplace conditions are factors causing low back-pain and injureis.

A case-control study was undertaken to determine risk factors for malnutrition in Hormozgan Province, which has the highest child malnutrition rate in this country. The study subjects were 6- to 30-monthold children living on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas. Cases consisted of 158 children having weight-for-age Z scores under -1 by NCHS/WHO standards; controls were 258 subjects with scores over -1. Physical and anthropometrical examinations were performed and mothers interviewed for personal history and various socioeconomic variables. There was no matching procedure, but sex and age distributions were similar in the two groups. Parental education level was significantly lower in cases than controls (P=0.005)and cases were also more likely to have a history of acute disease (OR=1.66, CI%95; 1.07-2.57). While fathers occupational status differed somewhat between the two groups (P=0.083), other social and demographic factors such as family size, age difference between siblings, mothers occupation plus vaccination history, parent smoking habits, and the use of day-care facilities were distributed similarly between cases and controls. Early supplemental feeding (P=0.0384) and ftequent health check-ups (P<0.000)were found to protect against growth retardation. The link between child growth, parental education and regular health monitoring emphasizes the importance of addressing non-nutritional factors in the fight against malnutrition.

The purpose of this study was to measure ambient lead concentrations in Tehrans 12th Municipal District and also Pb concentrations in urine samples from municipal workers assigned to the same region. In this research workers from the 12th District were matched and compared with a control group who were doing the same type of work in another region in northern Tehran with lighter traffic and comparatively clean air.Air samples were analyzed by atomic absorption techniques. Results showed the mean air concentration of lead to be higher than standard (1.5µg/m3)except on Fridays and Thursdays (1.9±0.32). The end-shift urine samples were prepared and analyzed using the HSE method. Lead levels in 77.1% of the urine samples were higher than HSE-recommended limits (643.86± 353.73).The independent Hest indicated that the mean urine Pb concentration in the case group was significantly higher than in controls (p<0.001). Mean urine lead levels in smokers were significantly higher than non-smokers in case group (p=0.043). The Pearson Correlation test showed a significant relationship between urine Pb concentration and age, duration of employment, and smoking habit in case workers (r=0.427, p= 0.011; r=0.385, p=0.632; and r=0.632, p=0.009 respectively). Also, the Kruskal-Wallis test indicated that urine lead levels were independent of the workers education level and work shifts.

In a survey from1999 to 2001, a total of 354 samples of soil and water were colleted from different areas and examined for the presence of Acanthamoeba and Naegleria spp.After sieving, filtration and centrifugation, samples were examined for the free living protozoa ( amphizoic amoeba ). Concurrently, a sediment of each sample was cultured in the non-nutrient agar medium enriched by E.coli. In the end, 10 Acanthomoeba spp. and 3 Naegleria sp. were isolated. Besides, we diagnosed one case of human Acanthomoeba infection in a person residing in the area.

Hydatodosis is one of the most important parasitic diseases that has a global distribution and seems more prevalent in some Asian and European countries. Until now, our knowledge of the parasites biology and metabolism and host-parasite relationships has remained scanty.The main purpose of this study was a comparison between levels of lactate de-hydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and alanine amino transferase (ALT) in fertile and sterile hydatid fluids.Liver and lung tissues of infected sheep were gathered and enzyme concentrations in each cyst plus its fertility status and location (liver or lung) were determined by an autoanalyzing method.Results showed a significant difference between enzyme levels in fertile and sterile hydatid cysts. There seems to be an equilibrium between hydatid fluid and serum concentrations of hepatic transaminases, while for LDH and ALP the relationship takes the form of an active interchange.ALP is one of the most important enzymes in parasite metabolism and it is considered as an immunogenic protein in host serum.

The start of this survey, 588 students (294 in either area) were selected randomly but the ultimate size of the sample was increased to 905, allowing for a 35% omission rate. Anthropometric measurements and stool examinations were performed. Questionnaires dealing with socioeconomic status were completed through interviews with mothers.We also carried out blood tests on a subsample of 180 individuals (1/5 of the the original sample).The results of the study were as follows:In Area 1:4.3% and 15% of the subjects showed evidence of anemia and parasites, respectively.Th mean hemoglobin and hematocrit concentrations were 13.46 g/dl and 40%. Anthropometric assessment revealed rates of 8.6% and 1.3% for severe wasting and obesity, and 11.9% for severe stunting. Gauging the weight-for-age index on standard growth charts, 13.1% of the subjects had severe wasting and 14.4% suffered from severe stunting and based on RMI, 21.3% were severely malnourished.In Area 2:5.8% and 13% of the subjects suffered from anemia and parasites, respectively.Mean hemoglobin and hematocrit concentrations were 13.05 g/dl and 37.8%.Anthropometric assessment showed that 9% of the subjects had severe wasting, and 1.8% were obese. 11.7% showed severe stunting. On standard growth charts, 12.4% had severe wasting and 15.3% were severely stunted. Judging by the Body Mass Index, 21.6% of the subject had severe malnutrition.The mean weight, height and BMI in both areas were substandard and the mean weight in Area 1 was lower than in Area 2.Statistical Associations:In Area 1: the following variables showed statistically significant relationships: History of parasite infection in the last year with childs weight for age. Mothers age and history of maternal parasite infection in the last year with childs height for age.Parasites infection in the last year with BMI.In Area 2: statistically significant relationships were found:Between mothers literacy / mothers job / family income and childs weight for age.Between family income / percentage of income spent on food / current parasite infection and height for age.Between diseases affecting food intake and BMI.