Industrial pollutants and nasopharyngeal cancer: an open question

Introduction and Objectives: Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma represents 0.7% of the total cancer cases in the world with an ASR index of 1.7 and is widely associated with Epstein-Barr virus. It is not common in Italy [ASR index of 0.5] while in China [ASR 1.9], one third of the clinical cases are observed in Guangdong [ASR index 11.3]. It is also quite common in Malaysia and Indonesia. The activation of the cancerogenesis process happens after the exposure to some environmental parameters that epidemiological studies have indicated with various dietary habits, mainly for salted fish consumption. The purpose of this work is to highlight such as exposure to compounds, such as formaldehyde, which is present in the different working conditions of these countries and may lead to the real cause to establish the carcinogenic process

Materials and Methods: The most recent publications regarding the impact of various external factors on Pub Med, Google, TOXLINE, Chem Abstract, were analyzed with the radiological data that were found in Milan hospitals database

Results: The relationship between food consumption and nasopharyngeal cancer are not clear and statistically insignificant in Indonesia. In Malaysia, the preparation of natural rubber for the use of formaldehyde is a dangerous environmental factor. The same exposure is a risk factor in Guangdong, where many workers are employed in the wood panel industry. Incidence of cancer in these Chinese ethnic groups decreases when they migrate to other countries. In the last 5 years, few cases were recorded in Italy, without any apparent change in ethnic environmental factors or HBV infection

Discussion: In the production of natural rubber, a lot of people are exposed to formaldehyde during the various steps of preparation and production such as stripping, drying and coagulation without observing proper environmental hygiene precautions. The same working conditions are present in industrial production of WOOD panels in Guangdong, China. The relationship between exposure to formaldehyde aod nasopharyngeal cancer is demonstrated by the fact thai epidemiological studies on the population of this Chinese district whose immigrant populations were not to these pollutants, the appearance of these decreases. Also an examination of our radiological data in Italy shows that in about one hundred sixty cases of nasopharyngeal cancer none of the patients Indonesian or Chinese

Conclusion: The preliminary results of our study suggest! that EPST-BARR virus could be a risk factor if associated! with exposure to compounds such as formalc which is present in industrial productions of countries! Indonesia, Malaysia, and China

Associação de urticária de contato e dermatite alérgica de contato à borracha / Association of contact urticaria and allergic contact dermatitis to rubber

Apresenta-se o caso de uma profissional da área da saúde que desenvolveu reação de hipersensibilidade dos tipos I e IV à borracha. O quadro clínico mostrava dermatite eczematosa no dorso das mãos. O teste de contato foi positivo para o grupo tiuram, assim como o teste aberto com fragmento de luva após exposição de 20 minutos. A dosagem de IgE sérica (Rast) mostrou-se relevante. As reações aos alérgenos da borracha são frequentes entre os profissionais da saúde, devido ao contato constante com esse material.

We present a case of a healthcare professional that developed type I and IV hypersensitivity reactions to rubber. During the clinical examination the patient showed eczematous dermatitis of the hands. The patch test was positive for thiuram group and an open test with a piece of glove was positive after 20 minutes of exposure. Allergen-specific IgE test (RAST) was relevant. Reactions to rubber allergens are frequent among healthcare professionals due to constant contact with this material.

Hydrophobic allergens from the bottom fraction membrane of Hevea brasiliensis.

Several proteins of rubber latex have been recognized as allergens causing immediate hypersensitivity in humans. In this study, a bottom fraction membrane (BFM) protein preparation from Hevea brasiliensis trees grown in southern Thailand was used to detect specific IgE in four groups of serum samples. The first group included 170 samples of latex glove factory workers (LGWs); group 2 consisted of the sera of 35 health care workers (HCWs) who were repeatedly exposed to powdered latex gloves; groups 3 and 4 were 31 positive and 22 negative sera, respectively, obtained from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA, tested for IgE to latex allergen. It was found that 56/170 (33%), 5/35 (14%), 11/31 (35.5%) and 1/22 (4.5%) samples of the LGWs, HCWs, CAP+ and CAP- groups had significant IgE to the BFM proteins, respectively. However, of all subjects only one subject of group 1 had experienced allergic morbidity consisting of eczema, conjunctivitis and asthma. The IgE of this subject bound to a 55 kDa component in the rubber latex BFM preparation. Thus, this protein may be regarded as a novel, although minor, latex allergen. Further investigation is needed to characterize the component and to pinpoint its allergenic role.

Tecnovigilancia: incidentes adversos asociados al uso de materiales odontológicos con contenido de látex / techno-surveillance: adverse incidents associated with the use of latex-containing dental materials

El látex es usado en la fabricación de productos médicos y odontológicos. Actualmente su uso representa un problema. El látex es usado para la fabricación de productos médicos y odontológicos. Actualmente su uso representa un problema para profesionales de la salud y pacientes. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue realizar un análisis de notificaciones voluntarias de incidentes adversos (AI) producidos por látex, notificadas a la base de datos del Centro Regional de Farmacovigilancia del Nordeste, Argentina. Se observaron 18 notificaciones de productos derivados de látex (guantes: 15; goma dique: 2; gomas intermaxilares de uso ortodóncico. El 65 por ciento de las lesiones se localizó a nivel dermatológico: dermatitis alérgica de contacto; 84.6 por ciento; dermatitis de contacto irritativa, 7,7 por ciento; alergia por IgE; 7.7 por ciento (100 por ciento en odontólogos); 30 por ciento de las lesiones se ubicaron a nivel estomatológico (100 por ciento en pacientes). Los profesionales sanitarios y pacinetes tienen riesgo de sufrir reacciones de hipersensibilidad al látex, su notificación puede ayudar a prevenir nuevos incidentes o evitar el contacto en personas alérgicas.

Trauma ocular com extensores elásticos / Eye injuries by bungee cords

Os autores apresentam novo tipo de trauma ocular confuso provocado por extensores elásticos. Drescrevem a ocorrência em três pacientes

Rubber contact dermatitis in patients attended at Walter Cantidio Hospital, Federal University of Ceara, Brasil

Atualmente, 70 por cento do suprimento mundial de borracha e sintetizado artificialmente. O processo envolvido em sua manufatura e a vulcanizaçäo que requer muitas substâncias químicas para aceleraçäo do processo, como antioxidantes para prevenir a deterioraçäo da borracha ou outros. Estas substancias podem ter potencial sensibilizante tornando-se responsaveis por afeccoes dermatologicas, principalmente dermatite de contato. O objetivo deste estudo e pesquisar os principais sensibilizantes dentre os componentes da borracha numa populaçäo predominantemente feminina num Pais Tropical e comparar os resultados com os obtidos em estudos previos que testaram populaçöes predominantemente masculina em climas diferentes

Dermatitis de contacto en pene / Dermatitis to contact in penis

Paciente de 47 años de edad, sexo masculino, casado, heterosexual, con lesión edematosa, de aspecto quístico y consistencia blanda, localizado en piel de prepucio y cuerpo de pene, de aproximadamente un año de evolución, con dermatitis de contacto por preservativos. Se destaca la resistencia a distintos tratamientos y la deformidad que se produjo en la región genital

Alergia a látex, un riesgo actual / Latex allergy, an actual risk

La alergia a látex ha sido en los últimos años una nueva entidad clínica con aspectos epidemiológicos que preocupan a la comunidad médica internacional. Sus manifestaciones clínicas varían desde urticaria localizada hasta anafilaxis sistémica mortal. El origen de la novedad del problema es multifactorial destacando el aumento del uso de látex en gran variedad de aplicaciones que permiten una fácil sensibilización. Los estudios epidemiológicos han podido establecer cuatro grupos de riesgo para presentar alergia a látex, que incluye a médicos, paramédicos y pacientes multitratados. La etiología molecular antigénica no ha sido esclarecida con exactitud. Por ahora se cuenta con pruebas cutáneas y serológicas inexactas y el concomiento de los factores de riesgo para tomar las medidas preventivas pertinentes dictadas por instituciones autorizadas. No existe tratamiento específico por lo que se espera que las medidas preventivas que se han dictado disminuyan los riesgos y prevalencia del problema mientras la industria del hule disminuye la cantidad de proteínas alergénicas de látex en los bienes que produce para uso humano

Alergia al latex en un niño con mielomeningocele / Allergy to latex in a child with menningomyelocele

De acuerdo con los datos de la bibliografía Internacional los pacientes con mielomeningocele se deben considerar como de alto riesgo para desarrollar alergia al látex. En este trabajo describimos el primer caso de alergia al látex, mediada por IgE, en un niño en Argentina y comentamos los resultados preliminares obtenidos en la población con MMC del Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutierrez