Risk Quotient of Airborne Paraquat Exposure Among Workers in Palm Oil Plantation

Paraquat is the herbicide widely used at palm oil plantations, although usage it in some countries has been banned and restricted. Paraquat spraying was not appropriate procedure could be polluted the environment and lead to health disorders workers. Paraquat could enter the body through inhalation, dermal and ingestion, one of frequent routes through inhalation during spraying weeds in plantation areas. This study aimed was to analyze potential inhalation dose and Risk Quotient to workers at palm oil plantation. This research was a descriptive study with cross sectional design and analysis of environmental health risk methods. Airborne Paraquat residue was collected from 8 workers with occupational activity as a supervisor and sprayer. Airborne Paraquat residue was measured for 25 minutes during spraying by using personal air sampler at worker's breathing zone. Airborne Paraquat residue was detected by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with NIOSH 5003 methods. The average of airborne Paraquat residue was 0.0125 mg/m3, it values was less than the Threshold Limit Value (0.05 mg/m3) of American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists, but the average of potential inhalation dose was 0.001 mg/kg/day for worker's weight 55 kg, it was value higher than Acceptable Operator Exposure Limit (0.0005 mg/kg/day) and the calculation of Risk Quotient (RQ) was more than 1, it conditions was unacceptable for workers. Although, airborne Paraquat residue were safe, but potential inhalation dose and Risk Quotient (RQ) were unsafe for workers, cause it can be lead to lung function disorders. Therefore, for further studies it was necessary to assess the lung function of workers and the use of personal protective equipment must be completely and standard

Food Hygiene and Sanitation in Six Food Providers at University X, South Sumatra

Food provider at university is one of places that needs to implement standards of food hygiene and sanitation (FHS). This study aimed to evaluate and analyze practices of FHS based on Regulation of Health Minister No. 1098 of 2003 and best practices in six food providers at University X. This study used mixed method evaluation with sequential explanatory design through two stages. Stage I was in forms of assessment on six food providers, food handlers and laboratoryexamination on food and beverage samples as well as on eating utensils. Stage II was in form of focus group discussion (FGD) to deepen findings atstage I. Results of this study showed that 100% of food providers had not yet met the government's regulation. As much as 67% of eating utensils and 83% of food were contaminated with bacteria. Based on food handler examination results, 100% of food handlers were not yet to get medical checkups and training. FGD results indicated that findings at stage I were associated with a lack of knowledge among food handlers and the absence of special unit to oversee FHS at campus. In conclusion, six food providers in the study area have not met the regulation

Water Quality and Water Borne Diseases in Lowland Ecosystem of Banyuasin, South Sumatra, Indonesia

Water quality and quantity is always an important issue in lowland ecosystem of Banyuasin. Low domestic water supply sanitation is considered as having an important contribution on the high frequency of waterborne diseases in the area. The study aims at recording water borne diseases and the water quality in the lowland area of Banyuasin District. This field research was conducted using a cross-sectional method. Total samples were 210 households in Telang which were observed during July through August 2011. Six water samples were measured for their physical and chemical properties, in addition to 1 water sample for bacteriological test. All respondents used river water for sanitary purposes and 41.4% of them also have dug wells. Those who used river water for sanitation, 68.5 % also consumed purified water for drinking purpose. All water samples are acidic (pH 5,68-6,19) and contain high Iron (1-26,269 Mg/L). Water has yellowish color. The major disease are diarrhea and skin diseases. In the lowland area with the estuarine ecosystem water quality and scarcity are serious problems. This in turn causes the high prevalent of waterborne diseases such as diarea. Low level of education and socio-economic status make it difficult for the local people to overcome these problems. Outside intervention especially government so as to improve the condition is neede

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century