PESTICIDE RESIDUES CONTAMINATION OF MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS. A CASE STUDY: BACAU DISTRICT AREA, ROMANIA

International audienceOrganochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are highly toxic, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) with adverse effects to the environment and human health. The main way of human exposure to the OCP contamination is through food, especially the food products of animal origin. The aims of this study were to determine the presence and concentration of organochlorine pesticide residues in milk and dairy products samples collected from Bacau district area and to assess human exposure to OCPs through the consumption of these products. A total number of 54 samples of milk and dairy products were analysed for their residual content of hexaclorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its analogues. The levels of OCP residues were determined by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. The results indicated that all the analysed samples were contaminated with alpha-HCH, beta-HCH and gamma-HCH, respectively. In all the analysed samples, DDT and its analogues were non-detectable. The presence of gamma-HCH (Lindane) was detected in the range of 0.0042 to 0.2124 (mg kg(-1) fat) for raw cow milk, of 0.0028 to 0.1408 (mg kg(-1) fat) for pasteurised cow milk and of 0.0042 to 0.2682 (mg kg(-1) fat) for sour cream. It could be concluded that organochlorine pesticide residues were detected in raw cow milk and dairy products as they were persistent in the environment due to their slow decomposition rate, long half-life and high stability in the environment. In most cases, the values of detected organochlorine pesticide residues exceeded the maximum residue levels provided by Romanian and international regulations. This study represents an important step towards a more comprehensive understanding of the human health risks associated with OCP exposure via milk and dairy product consumption in Romania

Evaluation of five widely used serologic assays for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2

Reliable diagnostic technologies are pivotal to the fight against COVID-19. While real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) remains the gold standard, commercial assays for antibodies against (SARS-CoV-2) have emerged. We sought to examine 5 widely used commercial methods. We measured antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 with assays, Abbott-IgG, Roche-IgT (total antibodies, isotype-unspecific), EUROIMMUN-IgG, EUROIMMUN-IgA, DiaSorin-IgG, in 191 serum samples from patients with rRT-PCR proven COVID-19 between days 0 and 47 after the onset of clinical symptoms and in biobank samples collected in 2018. The assays were calibrated using the manufacturers’ instructions; results are in multiples of the assay specific cut-offs (Abbott, Roche, EUROIMMUN) or in arbitrary units (AU/mL, DiaSorin). The assays for IgG and IgT have approximately the same sensitivity and specificity for detecting seroconversion which starts at approximately day 3 after symptom onset, sensitivity reached 93% on day 16 and was 100% for each assay on day 20. The assay for IgA antibodies was superior in sensitivity and had a lower specificity than the others. Bivariate non–parametric correlation coefficients ranged between 0.738 and 0.991. Commercial assays for IgG or total antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are largely equivalent for establishing seroconversion but differ at high antibody titres. Increased sensitivity to detect seroconversion is afforded by including IgA antibodies. Further international efforts to harmonise assays for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are urgently needed

The burden of cervical cancer in south-east Europe at the beginning of the 21st century.

&lt;p&gt;The situation of cervical cancer prevention in South-East Europe is hardly documented, in spite of the fact that it encloses the most affected countries of Europe. We estimated the number of cases of cervical cancer, the number of deaths from this malignancy and the corresponding rates for 11 countries located in South-East Europe, in the period 2002-2004. Each year, approximately 9,000 women develop cervical cancer and about 4,600 die from the disease in this subcontinent. The most affected country is Romania with almost 3,500 cases and more than 2,000 deaths per year High world-age standardised mortality rates (&gt; 7.5 [expressed per 100,000 women-years]) are observed in 7 countries: FYROM (7.6), Moldova (7.8), Bulgaria (8.0), Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina (8.0), Albania (9.8), Serbia &amp; Montenegro (10.1) and Romania (13.0). A matter of concern is the increasing mortality rate, in younger women, in the countries with the highest burden of cervical cancer. Thus, appropriate cervical cancer prevention programmes should be set up without delay in this part of Europe.&lt;/p&gt;</p

Successful medical treatment for ranula in children.

OBJECTIVES: We compare the outcome of medical treatment for ranula versus surgery in children. STUDY DESIGN: Multicentric cohort study. METHODS: The case series includes 37 children with ranulas (diameter 2.7 ± 1.5 cm). Eighteen patients, including 3 who had relapsed after either simple marsupialization or ranula removal alone, received oral nickel gluconate, mercurius heel, and glandula submandibularis suis D10/D30/D200. Fifteen cases underwent marsupialization with packing, and 2 underwent sublingual gland and ranula en-bloc excision. Two patients who recovered spontaneously shortly after diagnosis were excluded. RESULTS: No recurrences occurred among medical patients. Of the 17 surgical patients, 3 treated with marsupialization with packing relapsed. With the 3 surgical failures from other centers a total of 6 of 20 relapses were considered. Swelling or tension was common in surgical cases but unusual in medical patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this case series oral medical treatment for ranula was very effective and more effective than marsupialization with packing