Sick building syndrome-like symptoms in emergency prefabricated accommodation.

The present study investigated the sources of discomfort and the symptoms reported by earthquake victims residing in temporary emergency prefabricated accommodation (prefab). The investigation was carried out by means of a questionnaire. 203 prefab occupants and 132 inhabitants of houses, who were chosen as reference population, replied in winter and 233 prefab occupants and 154 inhabitants of houses replied in summer. In both seasons more people living in prefabs identified dry air, stuffy air, stale air, dust, dampness, uncomfortable temperature and bad odours as sources of discomfort. They also complained of general symptoms (headache, irritability, insomnia, difficulty in concentration) and irritative symptoms of the eyes, upper and lower airways and skin. Multiple regression analysis identified the type of accommodation as the variable that most influenced the onset of general, ocular, upper and lower airway symptoms. Intrinsic characteristics of the prefabs (being constructed with synthetic materials, combustion sources, poor ventilation and insulation) and psychosocial factors e. losing their home, could have contributed to the onset of symptoms

The Italian Society of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene: one hundred years of history

This research project, in conjunction with the SIMLII foundation's 80th anniversary, is aimed to reconstruct the historical chronology of the institutional life of the Society: the Directive bodies, the by-laws, the main steps of the scientific activity, especially the Congresses of Occupational Health. The research will also analyze the most important elements of historical context explaining Society's evolution: the relationships between SIMLII and political-institutional and legislative framework, social and economic changes, medical science's evolution and the university teaching and research, and finally the interactions with the international context. The research covers the years since the first national meeting of Occupation Health, in 1907, in which scientific activity was particularly intense, although the foundation was officially only in 1929. The investigation of the documentation after the 2nd World War is aimed at reconstructing the reborn of the international relations and the social, cultural and economic changes occurred between 1968 and 1978 and the deep impact on industrial relations and the enactment of the "Statuto dei lavoratori" in 1970 and the Health Reform in 1978

Lead poisoning caused by Indian ethnic remedies in Italy

Background: Complementary or alternative medicine has become widespread in Western Countries and since the remedies are "natural" they are believed to be free of toxic effects and health risks. Ethnic remedies may contain lead, other metals and toxic substances. Objectives: To show how lead poisoning as a result of using ethnic remedies may be severe enough to cause serious damage to health, and to increase awareness among family doctors and occupational physicians of the risks associated with ethnic remedies. Methods and results: Description of ethnic remedy-related lead poisoning in 2 native Italian adults, with clinical, laboratory and toxicological data. Conclusions: When metal poisoning is diagnosed, ethnic remedies should be included among the putative sources so as to avoid erroneous attribution to workplace exposure and application of unneeded preventive measures

Long-term pulmonary and systemic toxicity following intravenous mercury injection

Long-term pulmonary and systemic toxicity following mercury intravenous injection has rarely been assessed. We present the results of a detailed investigation assessing pulmonary and systemic long-term toxic effects in a subject who had pulmonary and systemic mercury microembolism diagnosed more than 11 pears previously. Radiographic examination showed the persistence of mercury microemboli in both lungs and elsewhere in the body. Lung function tests revealed a decreased diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and PO2 probably indicative of microscopic inflammation of lung interstitium. Electroneuromyography showed signs of mild axonopathy in both legs. At semen analysis, a high proportion of motionless spermatozoa was present. Urinary excretion of mercury was high. Signs of interstitial lung impairment, peripheral axonopathy and asthenozoospermia in a subject who had mercury microembolism persisting for more than 11 years might be evidence of long-term mercury toxicity

[The teaching of occupational medicine in the Master of Science in Medicine in the twenty years since the introduction of Table XVIII]

In 1991, the implementation of the new programme for education and training in Medicine and Surgery has introduced the teaching of Occupational Medicine (OM) as a compulsory subject for all medical students. After two decades from that event and in conjunction with the implementation of the new academic departments introduced by the law 240/2010, the aim of the present study was to address the current status and the main characteristics of education and training, including clinical activities, in OM in Italian Universities and to update the information on the related academic human resources available. A questionnaire was developed to investigate the different features of the academic staff belonging to the area of OM (SSD MED/44), and to evaluate the organization of teaching and the clinical activities performed by the Occupational Medicine sections. The results showed that among the 40 Italian universities with a degree course in Medicine and Surgery, 67% of them have at least one full professor, 72% one associate professor and 78% one assistant professor belonging to the area of OM. Nevertheless, a steady decrease in the number of academic staff is observed with time, which caused a lack of presence of the discipline in some universities. In most degree courses in Medicine and Surgery the teaching of OM is usually included in an integrated course together with other disciplines such as General and Applied Hygiene and/or Forensic and Legal Medicine. Within the integrated course the number of University Education & Training Credits (CFU, corresponding to approx. 25 hrs of teaching overall) assigned to OM is generally between 2 and 3 (61% of cases). The teaching of OM is also present in eight different master degree courses (MSc) and in 33 different triennial degree courses (BSc). To support the teaching clinical activities, such as workers' health surveillance, laboratories, ambulatories, and DH or inpatient activities are performed, in one or more of these forms, by almost all of the OM institutions. The findings of this study, despite being subject to change rapidly with time, still provide an invaluable set of information and should represent, therefore, a rational basis for planning the future recruitment of academic staff and for updating the contents and methodologies of graduate education and training in Occupational Medicine in Italian universities

An old threat in a new setting: High prevalence of silicosis among jewelry workers

BACKGROUND: Silicosis is caused by inhaling free crystalline silica. Few case reports have addressed the risk of silicosis in the jewelry trade where chalk molds containing a high percentage of silica are used in gold and silver casting. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 100 goldsmiths exposed to silica. METHODS: All workers replied to a respiratory questionnaire and underwent a full clinical examination, pulmonary function tests wit a study of flow, volumes and diffusion capacity, a chest X-ray and a high-resolution CT scan. RESULTS: High-resolution CT scan visualized signs of silicosis in 23 workers involved in gold and silver casting, confirmed by standard chest X-rays in 10 cases. In the 23 workers with CT evidence of silicosis Total Lung Capacity, FEV1 and the Lung Diffusing Capacity did not differ from the workers without the disease. Pulmonary function tests, including diffusing capacity did not correlate with silica exposure, measured as refractory material used to make the molds. CONCLUSION: In this study we demonstrate that use of chalk molds in casting in jewelry causes high prevalence of silicosis. Lung function test were not able to discriminate between workers with and without silicosis. The composition of the dust could be responsible of the high prevalence observed