[Environmental risk factors and epidemiologic study]

The problems regarding communication of risks in the environmental sector and the analysis of certain causes of pollution, together with their effects on human health are the subjects of this article. In an illustrative and concise manner results of the most important epidemiological studies concerning the effects of non-ionizing radiations, of radon and of air pollution have been analyzed. Throughout this analysis emphasis has been placed on the difficulty of obtaining clear and scientifically based results. Such results are needed in order to provide the population with satisfying information and thus meet the increasing demand for unambiguous answers. Among the risk factors for human health are the high frequency electromagnetic fields used for mobile phones (radiofrequency--RF) nd extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) of power-lines. Even though these risk factors may be minimal the high number of persons exposed could make them an important impact on public health. Regarding the topic of air pollution, effects on particular segments of the population (children, elderly people and subjects with chronic diseases) have been found in various studies; for example, for an increase of PM(10) of 10 microg/m(3) an increase in daily mortality of 0.69% (CI 0.40-0.98) due to cardiovascular and respiratory causes has been estimated as well as an increase in general daily mortality of 0.54% (CI 0.33-0.76). Due to the populations' low risk perception (caused by unawareness of the problem) radon is undoubtedly the environmental pollutant which has the most impact on public health. This is true even in Italy where 4,000 cases of lung cancer attributable to radon (about 11% of total lung cancer) have been estimated per year; this risk is heightened by the combined effect with smoking. When dealing with health risks the tools of communication must be simple and correct; the mass-media are the most important mediators between the scientific community and the public. It is therefore vital for the public health operators to maintain a continuous relationship with the mass media which should be based on reciprocal trust and full collaboration

L’invecchiamento della popolazione: aspetti demografici, epidemiologici e di sanità pubblica.

I Quaderni della Geriatria, Atti del congresso Geriatria e Chirurgia, (5): 17-22

Bioterrorismo: analisi dei piani di prevenzione di cinque regioni italiane.

9. Colzani E, Limina RM, Signorelli C. Bioterrorismo: analisi dei piani di prevenzione di cinque regioni italiane. Atti del – Cernobbio 8–11 settembre 2002. Sanità e Sicurezza 2002; supplemento, volume III: 566-57

Southern Europe as an example of interaction between various environmental factors: a systematic review of the epidemiologic evidence

Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and alcohol consumption are major causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. We performed a systematic review of epidemiologic studies carried out on HCC aetiology in Southern Europe, an area with an intermediate\u2013 high prevalence of these agents as well as of putative risk factors such as tobacco smoking, diabetes and obesity. To retrieve the articles, we performed a Medline search for titles and abstracts of articles. After the Medline search, we reviewed the papers and reference lists to identify additional articles. A synergism between HCV infection and HBV infection, overt (hepatitis B virus antigen (HbsAg) positivity) or occult (HBsAg negativity with presence of HBV DNA in liver or serum), is suggested by the results of some studies. The pattern of the risk for HCC due to alcohol intake shows a continuous dose\u2013effect curve without a definite threshold, although most studies found that HCC risk increased only for alcohol consumption above 40\u201360 g of ethanol per day. Some evidence supports a positive interaction of alcohol intake probably with HCV infection and possibly with HBV infection. A few studies found that coffee has a protective effect on HCC risk due to various risk factors. Some data also support a role of tobacco smoking, diabetes and obesity as single agents or preferably cofactors in causing HCC. In countries with a relatively high alcohol consumption and intermediate levels of HCV and HBV infections (1\u20133% of population infected by each virus), such as Mediterranean countries, the three main risk factors together account for about 85% of the total HCC cases, leaving little space to other known risk factors, such as haemochromatosis, and to new, still unrecognised, factors as independent causes of HCC

Southern Europe as an example of interaction between various environmental factors. A systematic review of the epidemiologic evidence.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and alcohol consumption are major causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. We performed a systematic review of epidemiologic studies carried out on HCC aetiology in Southern Europe, an area with an intermediate– high prevalence of these agents as well as of putative risk factors such as tobacco smoking, diabetes and obesity. To retrieve the articles, we performed a Medline search for titles and abstracts of articles. After the Medline search, we reviewed the papers and reference lists to identify additional articles. A synergism between HCV infection and HBV infection, overt (hepatitis B virus antigen (HbsAg) positivity) or occult (HBsAg negativity with presence of HBV DNA in liver or serum), is suggested by the results of some studies. The pattern of the risk for HCC due to alcohol intake shows a continuous dose–effect curve without a definite threshold, although most studies found that HCC risk increased only for alcohol consumption above 40–60 g of ethanol per day. Some evidence supports a positive interaction of alcohol intake probably with HCV infection and possibly with HBV infection. A few studies found that coffee has a protective effect on HCC risk due to various risk factors. Some data also support a role of tobacco smoking, diabetes and obesity as single agents or preferably cofactors in causing HCC. In countries with a relatively high alcohol consumption and intermediate levels of HCV and HBV infections (1–3% of population infected by each virus), such as Mediterranean countries, the three main risk factors together account for about 85% of the total HCC cases, leaving little space to other known risk factors, such as haemochromatosis, and to new, still unrecognised, factors as independent causes of HCC

Immunità antipoliomielitica in immigrati.

sezione Comunicazioni Oral