Risk Assessment of Ambient Air Pollutants and Health Impact around Fuel Stations in Urban Cities of KSA

Abstract Background: In Saudi Arabia, fuel dispensing facilities commonly present around the residential places, educational institutions, and various health care facilities. Fuel pollutants such as benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX) and its alkyl derivatives are harmful to human health because of their toxic, mutagenic, or carcinogenic properties. The aim of this study was to determine the BTX concentration levels of common pollutants in and around fuel stations and their harmful health effects in the urban cites of KSA. Methods: Forty fuel dispensing facilities were randomly selected on the basis of three different areas: residential, traffic intersection, and petrol pump locations (refueling stations). Portable ambient analyzer was used for measuring BTX concentration. t‑test was applied to determine the difference between these different areas. Results: All mean concentration values of pollutants such as BTX around residential, traffic intersection, and fuel stations are exceeding the limits of air quality standards values (P < 0.01). The mean levels of benzene are 10.3 and 11.07 ppm in Dammam and Khobar, respectively, and they exceed the reference level of 0.5 ppm. Hazard quotient was more than >1, which shows that carcinogenic probability has increased those who were living and working near fuel stations. Conclusions: The results found that the high concentration of pollutants (BTX) is in the environment around fuel stations. The environmental contamination associated with BTX in petrol fuel stations impulses the necessity of preventive programs to reduce the further air quality deterioration and reduce the harmful health effects. Keywords: Air, benzene, fuel, pollution, toluene, xylene

Sentinel hospital-based surveillance for assessment of burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children in Pakistan

Objectives: To determine the burden and molecular epidemiology of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children hospitalized with severe acute watery diarrhea in Pakistan prior to introduction of rotavirus vaccine.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out over a period of two years from 2006 - 2008 at five sentinel hospitals in the cities of Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar. Stool samples collected from children under five years of age hospitalized with severe acute watery diarrhea were tested for rotavirus antigen via enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (IDEA REF K6020 Oxoid Ltd (Ely), Cambridge, United Kingdom). A subset of EIA positive stool samples were further processed for genotyping.Results: 6679 children were enrolled and stool specimens of 2039 (30.5%) were positive for rotavirus. Rotavirus positivity ranged from 16.3% to 39.4% in the 5 hospitals with highest positivity in Lahore. 1241 (61%) of all rotavirus cases were in infants under one year of age. Among the strains examined for G-serotypes, the occurrence of G1, G2, G9 and G4 strains was found to be 28%, 24%, 14% and 13%, respectively. Among P-types, the most commonly occurring strains were P6 (31.5%) followed by P8 (20%) and P4 (12%). Prevalent rotavirus genotype in hospitalized children of severe diarrhea were G1P[8] 11.6% (69/593), followed by G2P[4] 10.4% (62/593), and G4P[6] 10.1% (60/593).CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one third of children hospitalized with severe gastroenteritis in urban centers in Pakistan have rotavirus. Introduction of rotavirus vaccine in Pakistan\u27s national immunization program could prevent many severe episodes and diarrheal deaths

Cumulative age distribution of children less than 5 years of age admitted with severe diarrhea at five sentinel hospitals in Pakistan, 2006–2008.

<p>Bars represent number of children with rotavirus- positive diarrhea. Points represent cumulative rate (%) of rotavirus- positive gastroenteritis.</p

Distribution of genotype of rotavirus strains determined in children less than 5 years of age admitted with acute gastroenteritis in Pakistan, 2006–2008.

<p>Distribution of genotype of rotavirus strains determined in children less than 5 years of age admitted with acute gastroenteritis in Pakistan, 2006–2008.</p

Distribution of rotavirus positive gastroenteritis by age in months at five sentinel hospitals in Pakistan from 2006–2008.

<p>Distribution of rotavirus positive gastroenteritis by age in months at five sentinel hospitals in Pakistan from 2006–2008.</p

Geographic distribution of the five sentinel sites participating in rotavirus surveillance in Pakistan from 2006–2008.

<p>Geographic distribution of the five sentinel sites participating in rotavirus surveillance in Pakistan from 2006–2008.</p