Higher Incidence Of Respiratory Disease Research Articles

The state of female reproductive health in a city with a large petrochemical complex

Introduction. The demographic situation in the country is characterized by a natural decline in the population, which determines the special importance of the protection of motherhood and childhood. The system of obstetrics largely affects the health status of the population and the future generation. Therefore, the study of the state of obstetrics has a high social significance and is relevant. Purpose of the study. To assess the state of female reproductive health of the population living in a city with a large petrochemical complex. Materials and methods. An analysis of primary digital data characterizing the intensive and extensive indicators of the state of obstetric care in the city of Salavat for 2020 was performed. According to the report of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Bashkortostan “The state of health of the population and the activities of medical institutions of the Republic of Bashkortostan in 2020” a comparative analysis was carried out. Results. An analysis of the state of obstetric care in the city of Salavat showed that women began to give birth less, they interrupted one third of the onset of pregnancies with abortions. The number of abortions per 1,000 women of childbearing age is 1.5 times higher than in the republic. Over the years, the number of abortions is growing against the background of their decline in the republic. Women who wish to give birth in the vast majority come under the supervision of an antenatal clinic until the 12-week gestation period. The results of the course of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, the absence of maternal mortality indicate to a high level of obstetric care. However, he draws attention to the fact that 45.6±1.5% of deliveries and the postpartum period proceeded against the background of complications, among which the most significant were anemia, premature rupture of the amniotic membrane, and violations of labour activity. Every third woman in labour underwent a caesarean section, every fifth - vacuum extraction. The health indicators of the fetus and newborn in the trend in years are improving and more favourable than in the republic as a whole, but 58.9±1.3% of neonates were born sick and fell ill. Mainly in the form of asphyxia during childbirth (18.6±1.2%) and infectious diseases (39.5±4.4%). Preterm infants get sick 2 times more often than full-term ones and the main reason is asphyxia during delivery and respiratory disorders over the perinatal period. Limitations. The analysis of the primary digital values of obstetric care indicators of the forms of federal statistical observation and accounting of medical institutions in Salavat for 2020 was carried out. Conclusion. More favourable health indicators of pregnant women, mothers, fetuses in Salavat in comparison with republican and all-Russian ones indicate to the high-quality, qualified obstetric care. The higher incidence of respiratory diseases in infants during the first year of life living in a city of large petrochemistry determines the need for special in-depth studies.

Evaluation of antimicrobial and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory treatments for BRD on health and welfare in fattening bulls: a cross-sectional study

Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of different treatments for BRD on health and welfare in fattening bulls. A total of 264 bulls were enrolled. Welfare was assessed on day 2 (T0) and day 15 (T1) after arrival. A decrease in the welfare level was observed from T0 to T1. All bulls were inspected clinically at T0 and T1 revealing an increase of skin lesions and lameness in T1. In both periods, a high incidence of respiratory disease was observed. A prevalence of 79.55% and 95.45% of Mycoplasma bovis using RT-PCR and culture at T0 and T1 respectively was observed. Blood samples were collected for haematology at T0 and T1. At T0, 36 animals were individually treated for BRD with an antimicrobial (IT), 54 received a metaphylactic treatment with tulathromycin (M), 150 received a metaphylactic treatment with tulathromycin plus a second antimicrobial (M + IT) whereas 24 were considered healthy and therefore not treated (NT). Additionally, 128 were treated with a non-steroid anti-inflammatory (NSAID). Neutrophils of M + IT were significantly higher than groups NT and M and the lymphocytes of M + IT were significantly lower than that of IT. White blood cells, neutrophils and N/L ratio of animals treated with an NSAID was significantly higher than that not treated. Lung inspection of 172 bulls at the abattoir indicated that 92.43% presented at least one lung lesion. A statistically significant effect of the NSAID treatment on the lung lesions was observed. Our findings indicate that BRD was a major welfare and health concern and evidence the difficulties of antimicrobial treatment of M. bovis.

Transpiring, phytoncidal and gas-absorbing properties of indoor plants and their role in improving the air quality in preschool environments

BACKGROUND: The high incidence of respiratory diseases among children attending preschool educational institutions highlights the need for prevention of respiratory tract infections. With children spending on average up to 10 hours a day in educational settings, the quality of the indoor air environment, including microbial contamination and low relative humidity, poses a risk for respiratory diseases. Placing a selection of plants in organized groups of children can offer a promising and cost-effective approach to promote health and well-being in the modern preschool education system. AIM: To select indoor plants based on their species and quantity to improve the air quality in organized children’s groups. Moreover, the paper presents recommendations for the installation and maintenance of the plants to create healthier environment for children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among more than 820 species of indoor plants, we have identified the most suitable options for preschool institutions. The selection process involved measuring the dimensions of the plants and the surface area of their leaves using a metric method. To assess the air quality, we conducted air sampling throughout the working week, once per hour, using an aspiration method with a sampling device PU-1B. Simultaneously, we measured the microclimate parameters in all the rooms included in the study. Furthermore, we studied the gas absorption capacity of indoor plants in controlled laboratory conditions within seed chambers with a volume of 200 liters. RESULTS: In rooms where plants were present, the levels of microorganisms varied. The average relative humidity values in all rooms were consistently below the hygienic standard of 40–60%, as outlined in SanPiN 1.2.3685-21, except for specific times. At 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, and 18:00, the relative humidity ranged from 15–35%. When exposed to a formaldehyde concentration of 3 times the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) Chlorophytum comosum reduced it to the regulated value of 0.01 MPC within 38 hours while the corresponding values for Sansevieria trifasciata and Cyperus alternifolius were 24 and 27 hours, respectively. CONCLUSION: Introducing a variety of indoor plants into a preschool educational setting can have significant benefits for air quality. The plants possess phytoncidal, transpiring, and gas-absorbing properties that contribute to a reduction in the overall number of microorganisms, a decrease in chemical pollutants, and an increase in air humidity. Our analysis showed that in the presence of indoor plants, the concentration of formaldehyde decreases to a regulated and safe level.

Health and welfare assessment of beef cattle during the adaptation period in a specialized commercial fattening unit

Beef cattle welfare and health status are influenced by housing and management systems. The present study aimed to assess the welfare and health status in the first 15 days after arrival of Limousine bulls imported from France and fattened in a commercial fattening unit in Italy. A total of 264 bulls were included in the study. Welfare, biosecurity, and major hazard and warning system were assessed on days 2 (T1) and 15 (T2) after arrival to the unit. At T1 and T2 an inspective clinical examination was performed on all bulls. At T1 and T2 blood samples were collected from 88 bulls for haematological analysis. Both at T1 and T2, the welfare, biosecurity, and major hazards and warning systems were classified with a general score of medium but with a decrease on animal-based measurements in T2. At T1 and T2 the clinical examination revealed a significant increase (p-value≤0.05) of skin lesions and lameness in T2. A high incidence of respiratory disease was noticed in both assessed times. Leucocytes and all differentials count, and platelets were significantly increased (p-value≤0.05) at T2, while the fibrinogen was significantly decreased. The haematological changes suggest that the bulls were under higher stress in T2 when compared with T1 linked with a difficult adaptation response to the fattening unit. A multi-factorial approach that integrates the indicators of the checklist and the clinical and haematological findings of animals can be a useful method to deepen the assessment of welfare in beef cattle.

Bi-level artificial intelligence model for risk classification of acute respiratory diseases based on Chinese clinical data.

Objective: The high incidence of respiratory diseases has dramatically increased the medical burden under the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020. It is of considerable significance to utilize a new generation of information technology to improve the artificial intelligence level of respiratory disease diagnosis. Methods: Based on the semi-structured data of Chinese Electronic Medical Records (CEMRs) from the China Hospital Pharmacovigilance System, this paper proposed a bi-level artificial intelligence model for the risk classification of acute respiratory diseases. It includes two levels. The first level is a dedicated design of the “BiLSTM+Dilated Convolution+3D Attention+CRF” deep learning model that is used for Chinese Clinical Named Entity Recognition (CCNER) to extract valuable information from the unstructured data in the CEMRs. Incorporating the transfer learning and semi-supervised learning technique into the proposed deep learning model achieves higher accuracy and efficiency in the CCNER task than the popular “Bert+BiLSTM+CRF” approach. Combining the extracted entity data with other structured data in the CEMRs, the second level is a customized XGBoost to realize the risk classification of acute respiratory diseases. Results: The empirical study shows that the proposed model could provide practical technical support for improving diagnostic accuracy. Conclusion: Our study provides a proof-of-concept for implementing a hybrid artificial intelligence-based system as a tool to aid clinicians in tackling CEMR data and enhancing the diagnostic evaluation under diagnostic uncertainty.

Health literacy of ethnic minority in remote China: precise intervention is needed

Health literacy of ethnic minority in remote China: precise intervention is needed

ЗАБОЛЕВАЕМОСТЬ ДЕТСКОГО НАСЕЛЕНИЯ Г. ЛЕРМОНТОВА, РАСПОЛОЖЕННОГО В РАЙОНЕ «УРАНОВОГО НАСЛЕДИЯ»

Purpose: To carry out assessment the health status of the child population of the Lermontov city. This child population living in the area, of uranium legacy, and they are critical group of the population in terms of sensitivity to adverse environmental factors.
 Materials and methods: The object of the study was the morbidity of children 0–14 years old (primary, chronic, oncological). The research material was the data of reporting forms of medical statistics, presented in the following forms: 7 – information on malignant neoplasms and 12 - information on the number of diseases in children. The development included data from Clinical hospital # 101 of the FMBA of Russia for 2014–2018. Statistical data processing was carried out using standard methods used for the analysis of biomedical data.
 Results: The morbidity of children 0–14 years old in Lermontov in 2014–2018 averaged 2310.9 ± 115.7 per 1000. In the structure of morbidity, the leading places were occupied by diseases of the respiratory system – 59.2 %, the digestive system – 8.8 %, skin and subcutaneous tissue 5.5 %, trauma and poisoning – 4, 8 % and infectious and parasitic diseases. The frequency of chronic morbidity does not exceed the population estimates – 73.0 ± 4.1 per 1000. The peculiarity of chronic morbidity is the relatively high incidence of skin diseases – 25.3 % and the musculoskeletal system – 20.4 %. The morbidity of children in the first year of life is 2348.0 ± 135.1 per 1000. A feature of the morbidity structure is the high incidence of respiratory diseases, which makes up 66.3 % of the total morbidity, with population estimates – 20–30 %.
 Conclusion: The increased radiation background can be considered as one of the possible negative environmental factors affecting the health of the population.

Effect of porcine plasma on growth and health of Holstein calves

The objective of this trial was to compare the health and performance of calves provided high feeding rates of a whey-based all-milk-protein calf milk replacer (MR) with those fed an MR containing either 5% or 10% porcine plasma, which replaced, respectively, either 15% or 30% of the whey-based proteins in the MR formula. A total of 320 male Holstein calves weighing a mean (± SD) of 47.8 ± 4.1 kg were sourced from local dairy farms, auction facilities, and local order buyers. Calves arrived at the research facility in 4 batches of 80 animals each and were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (1) MR composed of whey-based milk proteins (control group); (2) whey replacement of 5% spray-dried porcine plasma (replacing 15% of protein); or (3) whey replacement of 10% spray-dried porcine plasma (replacing 30% of protein). Calves were housed in individual pens for the first 56 d of the experiment and offered, twice daily, a 26% crude protein (CP), 20% fat MR standardized using synthetic amino acids to 2.4% lysine, 0.8% methionine, and 1.6% threonine. Amounts of MR offered from wk 1 to 8 were 0.65, 0.78, 0.91, 1.04, 1.04, 0.78, 0.52, and 0.325 kg/d, respectively. Calves were also offered a 20% CP texturized calf starter from d 0 to 56 and then transitioned over 7 d (d 56–62) of a 50% calf starter and 50% corn and pellet ration with 2% straw to a corn and pellet ration with 2% straw (18.1% CP) for the remainder of the experiment (d 63–77). Calves were individually weighed upon arrival, weekly through d 56, and at d 77. Grain was fed ad libitum, and remaining grain was weighed weekly to determine weekly consumption. Remaining grain was discarded and was replaced with fresh grain that was weighed and recorded. All milk was offered individually via bucket twice daily, and refusals were recorded following milk feeding by weighing back the remaining unconsumed milk solution. Calves were health scored twice daily, and any medical treatments or mortality were recorded. Time to mortality and medical treatments were analyzed using survival analysis, health scoring data were analyzed using a generalized linear model, and growth was evaluated using a mixed repeated-measures linear regression model. No differences in mortality or incidence of diarrhea were noted between groups. Although there was a high incidence of respiratory disease (65%), no differences were found between groups. Over the entire experimental period, calves gained 67.0 ± 14.9 kg; however, no differences in growth among groups were noted, with the exception that, on d 77, BW was greater for calves in the control group (115.8 ± 15.5 kg) compared with those fed a MR with 5% porcine plasma (113.4 ± 17.8 kg). No differences were found between groups with respect to feed conversion. In this study, an MR composed of either 5% or 10% spray-dried porcine plasma performed comparably to a whey protein–based MR.

Helcococcus ovis associated with septic arthritis and bursitis in calves \u2013 a case report

BackgroundSeptic arthritis often occurs in young calves when the passive transfer of maternal immunoglobulins has failed, which results in hypogammaglobulinaemia in the calf. Another important cause is suboptimal herd health management which often leads to general health impairment and, subsequently, to septic arthritis.Case presentationA dairy farmer consulted the Herd Health Service of the University Clinic reporting general herd health impairment, a high incidence of respiratory diseases, unsatisfactory weight gain and arthritis in calves, as well as mastitis and high milk cell counts. Clinical examinations were performed, and diagnostic measures were taken. A transtracheal lavage (TTL) was performed, and synovial swab samples were taken from the carpal joint and the subcutaneous tarsal bursae of two calves. Microbiological examinations of synovial swabs revealed co-infections of Trueperella pyogenes and Helcococcus ovis in one calf and Helcococcus ovis in pure culture in the other. The TTLs confirmed the presence of Mycoplasma spp. associated with respiratory diseases.ConclusionsHelcococcus ovis is currently regarded as a co-infective bacterial agent. However, it seems to play a significant role as the primary pathogen in this case.

Gendered energy relations at the crossroads of Asia: Electrification, empowerment, and mixed outcomes in northeastern Afghanistan

This study analyzes the socio-economic impact of electrification with special attention to gender dynamics using evidence from the Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan. We employ survey data and stakeholder interviews to evaluate changes in education, health and economic opportunities. We find that women in grid-supplied communities are on average 27% more literate and complete more years of schooling compared to women in off-grid communities. Households in grid-supplied communities report a lower incidence of diseases, lower child mortality, improved access to ante-natal care, and higher vaccination rates, but they also endure a higher incidence of respiratory diseases due to cooking indoors. We show that switching from off-grid to grid-supplied electricity would allow households to power either 4,200 hours of LED light, 1,340 hours of TV, or 55 hours of hotplate usage at no additional cost. Access to grid-supplied electricity also enables economic opportunities which is reflected in the average higher income by a factor of 5.9 compared to households using solar panels. Moreover, households with grid-electricity save time on the collection of biomass fuel, e.g. for households using firewood, the daily time saving potential amounts to 5 hours. Consequently, men spend on average more time with their children and are more likely to provide help with household tasks that are typically in the female domain in grid-supplied households. Nonetheless, we find that access to grid electricity has mixed effects on education, health and economic outcomes, especially with regards to gender dynamics. Therefore, we challenge the assumption of a linear relationship between electrification and associated impacts, and stress that structural, institutional and power dynamics exert greater influence on education, health and economic outcomes than access to electricity alone.

Development of rural areas of a coal-mining region in the context of the creation of an agglomeration system

The article is devoted to the study of the problems of the development of rural agglomerations of a coal-mining region. It was revealed that the intensive development of the coal industry leads to negative consequences for the environment, which affect the socio-economic development and the quality of life of the population of a region. The rural areas of the Russian Federation and each individual region are strategic resources, however, the lack of opportunity to meet their urgent needs, difficult living conditions of the rural population, isolation of rural settlements from scientific and technological achievements, poor development of transport infrastructure and communications do not allow unlocking the potential of rural areas. Analyzing the decisions made in recent years by the Government of the Russian Federation to regulate the development of rural areas and the agro-industry, we can conclude about a qualitatively new approach to state regulation of the agrarian sector. At the same time, the financial position of the overwhelming majority of the rural population does not allow contracting house construction mortgage loans. The level of improvement of the rural housing stock is 2-3 times lagging behind the urban one. Coal mining entails disturbance of land, which cannot be further used. It is accompanied by a high incidence of respiratory diseases and cancers, which tends to grow. The resources allocated for welfare programs do not allow the residents in rural areas to significantly improve their living conditions, to increase the availability of social services and their quality. To solve the identified problems, it is proposed to create rural agglomerations, allowing for more efficient and independent development of rural areas; to reduce the overlapping of management functions through streamlining management structures; implement a more equitable social policy for the residents of rural areas.

Vitamin C supplementation reduces the odds of developing a common cold in Republic of Korea Army recruits: randomised controlled trial

IntroductionThe Republic of Korea (ROK) military has a high incidence of respiratory diseases at training centres. Vitamin C has been reported to reduce the incidence of colds. For the purpose...

Child health, household environment, temperature and rainfall anomalies in Honduras: a socio-climate data linked analysis

BackgroundAs climate research continues to highlight the global shifts in temperature and precipitation, more research is needed to understand how climate anomalies impact human health outcomes. In this paper, we analyze one of the paths through which climate anomalies affect health (in particular, child’s health) within one of poorest countries in the world (Honduras).MethodsUsing the GPS location of the household, we link information on child health and house amenities from the Honduras Demographic Health Survey 2011–2012 dataset (a nationally representative sample) with climate data (1981–2012) from the Climate Research Unit (CRU TS3.21). We use generalized estimating equations for binary logistic models and spatial association to analyze these data.ResultsWe show that 1) areas experiencing significant temperature anomalies are also the ones with the worst child respiratory problems and 2) in households with poor amenities – such as access to sanitation and clean water, children tend to have a high incidence of respiratory diseases and diarrhea .ConclusionsWe conclude that, as climate change increases the incidence of climate anomalies, tackling in advance those household environmental factors responsible for poor child health outcomes (better sanitation and clean cooking fuel) can prevent a further deterioration of children’s health in Honduras.

In utero exposure to pre-eclampsia as an independent risk factor for long-term respiratory disease.

Pre-eclampsia has a considerable effect on the intrauterine environment, yet not much is understood about how this impacts the respiratory health of the offspring. The aim of the present study is to determine if pre-eclampsia correlates with a higher incidence of respiratory disease in the offspring. This cohort study assessed the differences in respiratory disease patterns between singletons born to mothers with and without pre-eclampsia. The study was conducted between 1991 and 2014 in a regional tertiary medical center. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) model was used to control for confounders and maternal clusters. 253 808 deliveries were included in the study. Of these, 3.0% were to mothers diagnosed with pre-eclampsia (n = 7660), 0.9% with severe pre-eclampsia (n = 2366), and 0.03% with eclampsia (n = 81). A significant linear association was noted between the severity of the pre-eclampsia (no pre-eclampsia, mild, severe pre-eclampsia, and eclampsia) and respiratory disease of the offspring (5.7%, vs 6.0% vs 7.3% vs 9.9%, respectively; P = .003). The offspring of mothers who developed pre-eclampsia had significantly higher rates of asthma (1.1%, vs 1.3% vs 1.4% vs 1.2% correspondingly; P = .018). In the GEE model, controlling for gestational diabetes, maternal age, gestational age, and length of follow up, pre-eclampsia was found to be an independent risk factor for respiratory morbidity in the offspring (adjusted odds ratio = 1.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-1.45). Exposure to maternal pre-eclampsia is an independent risk factor for long-term respiratory morbidity in the offspring. Specifically, the prenatal exposure to pre-eclampsia was significantly associated with asthma of the offspring.

High incidence of respiratory disease in Australian infants despite low rate of maternal cigarette smoking.

The burden of wheezing illnesses in Australian infants has not been documented since the success of initiatives to reduce maternal cigarette smoking. We aimed to determine the incidence of wheeze and related health-care utilisation during the first year of life among a contemporary Australian birth cohort. A birth cohort of 1074 infants was assembled between 2010 and 2013. Parents completed questionnaires periodically. Several non-exclusive infant respiratory disease phenotypes were defined, including any wheeze, wheeze with shortness of breath and recurrent wheeze. Skin prick testing was performed to determine atopic wheeze. Health-care utilisation for respiratory disease was determined from questionnaires and hospital medical records. Retention to 1 year was 840/1074 (83%). The incidence of any wheeze was 51.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 48.3-55.2%), wheeze with shortness of breath 20.6% (95% CI 17.9-23.5), recurrent wheeze 19.4% (95% CI 16.8-22.2) and atopic wheeze 6% (95% CI 4.6-7.8). Respiratory illness resulted in primary health-care utilisation in 82.2% (95% CI 79.3-84.8) of participants and hospital presentation in 8.8% (95% CI 7.2-10.6). Maternal smoking during pregnancy was uncommon (15.7%) and was not associated with wheeze or health resource utilisation. Male gender, familial atopy and asthma and smaller household size were associated with a higher incidence of wheeze. The incidence of wheezing illness among Australian infants remains high despite relatively low rates of maternal smoking during pregnancy. The majority of the health-care burden is borne by primary health-care services. Further research is required to inform novel prevention strategies.

A DEEP DIVE INTO THE CHRONIC AIR POLLUTION REALITY IN BAIA MARE. PART III: AIR POLLUTION EFFECTS ON THE LOCAL POPULATION BETWEEN 1980 AND 2006

Baia Mare, with its long-lasting mining and metallurgical tradition, is one of the country’s most problematic cities in terms of historical pollution and resulting consequences. This paper is the final chapter of a complex three-part work and aims to present a series of air pollution effects on public health in Baia Mare between 1980 and 2006. The first part focused on an overall view of historical air pollution sources in Baia Mare. The second part presented the evolution of air quality in Baia Mare and highlighted the chronic air pollution, consisting of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia, particulate matter, and heavy metals between 1995 and 2006. The historical environmental (including air) pollution in Baia Mare had 3 main sources: National Company of Precious and Nonferrous Metals (NCPNM) - Remin Corporation; Cuprom Corporation; Romplumb Corporation. The three companies were active for decades and, until the early 2000s, environmental protection was not a priority of their technological process management. After the year 2000, investments in ecological technologies were undersized, and the 2008 economic crisis affected the companies’ activity. Air quality in Baia Mare between 1995 and 2006, as well as prior to this period, was particularly critical due to high concentrations in particulate matter with high lead and cadmium content, but also due to high sulphur dioxide concentrations between 1995 and 2000. A direct consequence of inadequate air quality was the deterioration of the city inhabitants’ health. The paper is based on data provided by the Maramureş Public Health Directorate, World Health Organization reports, Cluj Napoca Hygiene and Public Health Institute reports, as well as Romanian and foreign experts who conducted investigations on air pollution-related illnesses in the study area. Our historical analytical approach mainly aims to address the effects of the technological processes of the Cuprom and Romplumb companies on the health of their employees and of the local population. One of the main causes for the high incidence of respiratory diseases in the local population was the historical pollution in the analyzed area, which had cumulative effects over time. In addition to these illnesses, it was found that in the study area, between 1980 and 2006, a more notable deterioration of public health occurred compared to other settlements (lower life expectancy, higher overall mortality index, more frequent D2 avitaminosis and metabolic conditions linked to lead pollution, etc.), and one of the main reasons was the city’s chronic air pollution. Morbidity reports were generally dominated by acute and chronic respiratory diseases, and digestive and cardiovascular disorders. National Company of Precious and Nonferrous Metals (NCPNM) - Remin and Romplumb Corporations are currently in a state of insolvency, and Cuprom Corporation is bankrupt, which resulted in an improvement of air quality in the study area.

Low salivary secretory IgA levels correlate with hyperreactivity in children with autism

IntroductionAutism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in communication and social skills as well as stereotypical behaviors. There are multiple lines of evidence, suggesting that the immune system is involved in autism. Since secretory IgA (SIgA) is the predominant antibody isotype in saliva and a marker of mucosal immunity, the aim of the study was to assess if the severity of clinical and behavioral parameters of autistic children was associated with low levels of sIgA in saliva.ObjectivesTo assess possible associations between salivary levels of sIgA and the severity of behavioral outcomes related to autism. In addition, were studied sIgA in saliva of children with autism and the frequency of respiratory tract infections diagnosed in the first 3 years of life.MethodsSaliva samples were obtained from 3–10 years old autistic children and age-matched typically developing Caucasian children from Patagonia, Argentina.ResultsAutistic children with reduced levels of salivary sIgA had a higher incidence of respiratory diseases compared to controls. The reduction in sIgA levels inversely correlated with the severity of the behavioral disorders. The patients with the most severe impairment in autism-related behaviors had the lowest levels of sIgA in the cohort studied.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that sIgA could be an early non-invasive indicator of the dysregulation of the immune system in some children with autism. Clearly, the characterization of immunological parameters has important implications for detection of subgroups of children with ASD, and should be considered when designing therapeutic strategies to treat behavioral impairments of ASD.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Domestic use of dirty energy and its effects on human health: empirical evidence from Bhutan

ABSTRACTUse of dirty fuels such as fuelwood, charcoal, cow dung and kerosene is common in developing countries, which adversely affects the health of people living in the dwellings, especially children and women. Using the data from a comprehensive and nationally representative Bhutan Living Standard Survey 2012, the present study examines the effects of dirty fuels on human health and household health expenditure. The result from propensity score-matching approach indicate that households using dirty fuels have a higher incidence of respiratory disease by 2.5–3% compared to households using cleaner fuels. The chances of household contracting tuberculosis are higher for households using dirty fuel in the range of 5–6%. It is also observed that the incidence of eye diseases and health expenditures among households using dirty fuels is higher. Hence the policy should focus on providing access to clean sources of energy to wider population.

Association of herd BHV-1 seroprevalence with respiratory disease in youngstock in Estonian dairy cattle

The associations between herd bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) seroprevalence, along with other infectious and farm management factors with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in dairy calves and heifers, were investigated. Serum samples from 103 dairy cattle herds were analyzed for antibodies against BHV-1, bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), and Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis). A questionnaire was used to record herd management practices.A high occurrence of respiratory disease in unweaned calves was associated with low to moderate and high prevalence of BHV-1 among cows (OR=14.8, p=0.005 and OR=19.2, p=0.002, respectively) and positive BVDV status of a herd (OR=5.1, p=0.02). The presence of BVDV in a herd was related to a high incidence of respiratory disease in heifers 3–16months old (OR=4.3, p=0.027). Based on the results of multiple correspondence analysis, holding youngstock separately from cows until pregnancy, introducing new animals and the activities of on-farm employees may contribute to a higher incidence of BRD.

Contaminación del aire en la Florida (Talca, Chile): Beneficios económicos en salud por la reducción de los niveles PM10

Environmental air pollution is associated with a higher incidence of respiratory diseases, absenteeism and costs.To model the health related economic benefits associated to a reduction in air pollution and the resulting lower prevalence of respiratory diseases, in a Chilean city.A time series model for year 2006 was elaborated. The dependent variable was the number of consultations for respiratory disease. The independent variables were air pollution expressed as particulate matter of 10 micrometers or less (PM₁₀), minimum and maximum environmental temperatures, environmental humidity and number of consultations for chronic diseases.The variables that best explained the number of consultations for respiratory diseases were PM₁₀, minimal environmental temperatures and preexisting respiratory diseases. In a hypothetical scenery of a 67% reduction in PM₁₀, 69% of medical consultations for respiratory diseases would be avoided. This would result in a net saving of US$ 345,000 per year.The reduction in PM₁₀ emissions would result in an important reduction in consultations for respiratory diseases and monetary savings.