The safety of prenatal ultrasound exposure in human studies.

Diagnostic ultrasound use in obstetrics has been growing rapidly to become an integral part of prenatal care today. The high proportion of exposure to prenatal ultrasound highlights the public health significance of routine ultrasound use. A majority of epidemiologic studies tends to support the safety of diagnostic ultrasound use during pregnancy. However, there have been some reports that there may be a relation between prenatal ultrasound exposure and adverse outcome. Some of the reported effects include growth restriction, delayed speech, dyslexia, and non-right-handedness associated with ultrasound exposure. Continued research is needed to evaluate the potential adverse effects of ultrasound exposure during pregnancy. These studies should measure the acoustic output, exposure time, number of exposures per subject, and the timing during the pregnancy when exposure(s) occurred, while controlling for potential confounding variables such as sociodemographic, medical, and obstetric risk factors. We recommend that a new consensus development conference be held to gather the needed data and provide guidelines for the future research needs, as well as respond to the rapid advances in this technology.

Outline for a disaster reduction programme for livestock in Central America

Central America has a high predisposition to natural disasters. For example, in the last 10 years nearly 40.000 people have died as a result of earthquakes, floods and hurricanes in Central America, at an estimated cost to these countries in excess of US$8.5 billon.Catastrophic events olso have a great impact on agriculture. In 1994, the direct losses in grain production in Central America as a result of droughts alone were estimated to be approximately US$44 million. The estimated value of the Central American livestock agriculture is US$3.3 billon, and employs nearly 10

of all people. Therefore, animal husbandry systems contibute significantly to the economic and political strength of Central American countries, and represent a large portion of each countrys standar of living, cultural heritage and identity. In many areas in Central America, the long term stability of the environment olso depends heavily on sustainable agriculture, which is based on traditional livestock husbandry systems and social structures. (AU)

The role of the veterinarian in hurricanes and other natural disasters

Hurricanes create a multiplicity of complicated problems and hazards ranging from outbreaks of infectious disease to animal control problems precipitated by destruction of property. A multidisciplinary response is required to solve such problems. The pool of knowledge derived from various professionals interacting with multiple levels of government agencies (federal, state, and local) will provide the expertise needed. Because the veterinarian is trined to deal with disease involving populations of animals (e.g. herds of flocks) as well as individuals, and because of his/her intensive clinical training, the veterinarian is uniquely qualified to deal with the disaster situation. The veterinarian possesses extensive knowledge in disease and disease processes and has the capability of disease and injury management in affected populations, which qualifies him/her for an essential role, with unlimited potential as a member of any disaster relief team. There is considerable potential for veterinarians to play a role in responding to natural disasters. The areas of disease control, animal care, animal control, protection of the food supply, disinfection/sterilization, and planning are all areas where veterinarians can take an active part. Inclusion of the veterinarian in the process of planning for and responding to natural disasters will yield significant public health benefits(AU)