Qualitative characterization of healthcare wastes

The biological hazard inherent in the clinical wastes should be considered during the management and treatment process as well as the disposal into the environment. In this chapter, the risks associated with the clinical wastes as well as the management of these wastes are discussed. The chapter focused on reviewing the types of healthcare wastes generated from hospitals and clinics as well as the regulations and management practices used for these wastes. Moreover, the health risk associated with the infectious agents which have the potential to be transmitted into the environment. It has appeared that the clinical wastes represent real hazards for the human health and the environment if they were not managed properly

A Clinical study on the Antimiasmatic Treatment of patients with Hypothyroidism

My objective was to organize the case logically and evaluate the symptoms to arrive at the diagnosis of miasmatic state and to know about the clinical presentation of hypothyroidism. Random selection of patients with hypothyroidism was done from the OPD and IPD of Sarada Krishna Homoeopathic Medical Collegiate hospital. The cases were studied for a period of six months and all the 30 cases were analyzed based on scoring criteria. Statistical analysis was done based on the pre test and post test scores. According to my study it was found that hypothyroidism was predominantly seen in the age group 41 – 45 years (23.33%) and 86.66% of the cases were females. It was found more in housewives 56.66%. In the past history many cases had acute infectious diseases and these led to the awakening of slumbering psora. Autoimmune diseases were found in the family history. Out of 30 cases(36.6%) were Sycotic and 26.66% of cases were Psoric Sycotic. 10 cases (33.33%) were prescribed with Calcarea carb and 7 cases (23.33%) were prescribed Natrum mur. 0/3 was the most indicated potency. There was a marked improvement in the TSH. Also there was considerable decrease in BMI after antimiasmatic treatment. In all the 30 cases the symptom score was found to be reduced. On investigating 30 cases according to effectiveness of the antimiasmatic medicines 70% of cases showed marked improvement. From my study it was found that antimiasmatic treatment is highly effective in treating patients with hypothyroidism

The use of Biologics in children with allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis: Current updates

Abstract The therapeutic goals of the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) are symptom relief, avoiding complications, and improving quality of life. In the treatment of AR and CRS, several limitations of currently prescribed medicines have been identified. Antihistamine administration (both oral and topical) together with intranasal corticosteroids bring relief to the majority of patients, but their dependency on the medications and a necessity to maintain strict compliance with regular medication regimes pose a challenge. Immunotherapeutic agents are an option in some patients, but polysensitized patients, the risk of anaphylaxis, and the need for daily administration for years are limiting it from becoming the main therapy modality. Immunotherapy in any form requires commitment by the patient, which renders adherence and compliance issues particularly relevant. The procedure involved are generally time‐consuming and entail an associated risk of severe adverse reactions. The use of biologics could overcome the limitations of other therapeutic modalities. They could be used as a monotherapy or combined with pre‐existing medications. The benefits of targeted therapy include less adverse effects and optimal efficacy. The aim of the present review was to investigate the collective literature to date pertaining to the role of biologics in managing children with AR and CRS

STRENGTHENING DRINKING-WATER SURVEILLANCE USING RISK-BASED APPROACHES

The framework for safe drinking-water recommended by the WHO guidelines for drinking-water quality promotes a risk-based preventive management approach to ensure safety of drinking-water. Independent drinking-water surveillance is one of the core components of this framework and is an essential public health function. To be effective, drinking-water surveillance needs to be aligned with risk-based principles, including prioritization of monitoring parameters and surveillance efforts based on water safety plan outcomes. Risk-based drinking-water surveillance comprises an independent and periodic review of all aspects of drinking-water quality and public health safety in which water-quality monitoring, on-site inspections, hazard identification and risk and trend analysis are important components. Applying a risk-based approach in drinking-water surveillance helps countries to focus on the issues that are most important for the protection of public health and so maximizes the benefits that can accrue from limited resources

Quecksilberexposition von Goldbergarbeiterinnen in der Mongolei. Humanes Biomonitoring von 15–45 Jahre alten Frauen

Steckling N, Böse-O'Reilly S, Gradel C, et al. Quecksilberexposition von Goldbergarbeiterinnen in der Mongolei. Humanes Biomonitoring von 15–45 Jahre alten Frauen. Umweltmedizin in Forschung und Praxis. 2010;15(5):252

Mercury exposure in female artisanal small-scale gold miners (ASGM) in Mongolia: An analysis of human biomonitoring (HBM) data from 2008

Steckling N, Boese-O'Reilly S, Gradel C, et al. Mercury exposure in female artisanal small-scale gold miners (ASGM) in Mongolia: An analysis of human biomonitoring (HBM) data from 2008. Science of The Total Environment. 2011;409(5):994-1000.Background: Many poor in developing countries have turned to artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in an attempt to improve their situation. However, the mercury used to extract gold from ore is discharged in vaporized form into the environment, where it poses a hazard for human health. Methods: As part of an environmental epidemiological study in Mongolia to evaluate the burden of environmental mercury contamination urine, blood and hair samples were collected from residents of areas with or without mercury contamination. A total of 200 blood, urine and hair samples were analyzed for mercury and divided into three subgroups according to mercury content: (1) occupational exposure (high/medium); (2) environmental exposure (low); and (3) no exposure. Internal mercury distributions of the subgroups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-test. The Chi-square test and likelihood ratio proportion were used to compare the findings with threshold limits. Results: The highest values and greatest differences were seen in the urine samples (p<0.001, Kruskal-Wallis). The occupational group showing the highest exposure with a median mercury level of 4.36 mu g/l (control group: 0.10 mu g/l, p<0.001), 7.18 mu g/g creatinine and 12 results above the threshold limit HBM I (Human Biomonitoring I). Even participants from the low-exposure subgroup showed elevated mercury levels (median 2.88 mu g/l urine and 2.98 mu g/g creatinine, p<0.001), with 10 individuals above the HBM I threshold limits. Discussion: The body burden resulting from the use of mercury in artisanal gold mining is high not only in the miners themselves, an increased mercury hazard was also found for inhabitants of mining areas who were not actively involved in mining. Public health support measures are urgently needed to alleviate the situation