Antibacterial household products: cause for concern.
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The recent entry of products containing antibacterial agents into healthy households has escalated from a few dozen products in the mid-1990s to more than 700 today. Antibacterial products were developed and have been successfully used to prevent transmission of disease-causing microorganisms among patients, particularly in hospitals. They are now being added to products used in healthy households, even though an added health benefit has not been demonstrated. Scientists are concerned that the antibacterial agents will select bacteria resistant to them and cross-resistant to antibiotics. Moreover, if they alter a person's microflora, they may negatively affect the normal maturation of the T helper cell response of the immune system to commensal flora antigens; this change could lead to a greater chance of allergies in children. As with antibiotics, prudent use of these products is urged. Their designated purpose is to protect vulnerable patients. (+info)
Factors associated with different hygiene practices in the homes of 15 month old infants.
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BACKGROUND: Improved hygiene in Westernised regions of the world may be partly responsible for the increased prevalence of diseases of the immune system, such as asthma and atopy. There is a paucity of data on cleanliness norms in young children in the UK and there has been no attempt to identify factors that influence the adoption of particular hygiene practices in the home. AIMS: To examine levels of hygiene in a contemporary cohort of children and identify social and lifestyle factors influencing hygiene practices in the home. METHODS: The sample under study are participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Parental self completion questionnaires provided data on hygiene levels in children at 15 months of age, and a hygiene score was derived from these responses. Multivariable logistic regression models investigated associations between high hygiene scores (top quintile) and a number of perinatal, maternal, social, and environmental factors. RESULTS: Maternal smoking during pregnancy, low maternal educational achievement, and living in local authority housing were factors independently associated with high hygiene scores, as was increased use of chemical household products. High hygiene scores were inversely related to living in damp housing and attendance at day care. There were no gender or ethnic differences in hygiene score. CONCLUSION: Important data on cleanliness norms for infants have been presented. The adoption of hygiene practices is influenced to some degree by social, lifestyle, and environmental factors-with higher hygiene scores occurring in more socially disadvantaged groups. Increased use of chemical household products in the more socially disadvantaged groups within ALSPAC has emerged as an important confounder in any study of hygiene and ill health. (+info)
Critical windows of exposure to household pesticides and risk of childhood leukemia.
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The potential etiologic role of household pesticide exposures was examined in the Northern California Childhood Leukemia Study. A total of 162 patients (0-14 years old) with newly diagnosed leukemia were rapidly ascertained during 1995-1999, and 162 matched control subjects were randomly selected from the birth registry. The use of professional pest control services at any time from 1 year before birth to 3 years after was associated with a significantly increased risk of childhood leukemia [odds ratio (OR) = 2.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-5.7], and the exposure during year 2 was associated with the highest risk (OR = 3.6; 95% CI, 1.6-8.3). The ORs for exposure to insecticides during the 3 months before pregnancy, pregnancy, and years 1, 2, and 3 were 1.8 (95% CI, 1.1-3.1), 2.1 (95% CI, 1.3-3.5), 1.7 (95% CI, 1.0-2.9), 1.6 (95% CI, 1.0-2.7), and 1.2 (95% CI, 0.7-2.1), respectively. Insecticide exposures early in life appear to be more significant than later exposures, and the highest risk was observed for exposure during pregnancy. Additionally, more frequent exposure to insecticides was associated with a higher risk. In contrast to insecticides, the association between herbicides and leukemia was weak and nonsignificant. Pesticides were also grouped based on where they were applied. Exposure to indoor pesticides was associated with an increased risk, whereas no significant association was observed for exposure to outdoor pesticides. The findings suggest that exposure to household pesticides is associated with an elevated risk of childhood leukemia and further indicate the importance of the timing and location of exposure. (+info)
Environmental factors associated with asthma.
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Asthma, a disease of attacks and remission, continues to account for substantial morbidity and direct economic costs. Numerous studies--epidemiologic, toxicologic and clinical--present evidence for a broad spectrum of environmental risk factors associated with asthma. This review summarizes current thinking on a subset of these factors. Knowledge of potential environmental determinants of asthma is important to both the patient and healthcare professional in the application of multiple modalities of medical and environmental intervention for management of the development, and exacerbation of this chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. (+info)
Recognition and prevention of inhalant abuse.
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Inhalant abuse is a prevalent and often overlooked form of substance abuse in adolescents. Survey results consistently show that nearly 20 percent of children in middle school and high school have experimented with inhaled substances. The method of delivery is inhalation of a solvent from its container, a soaked rag, or a bag. Solvents include almost any household cleaning agent or propellant, paint thinner, glue, and lighter fluid. Inhalant abuse typically can cause a euphoric feeling and can become addictive. Acute effects include sudden sniffing death syndrome, asphyxia, and serious injuries (e.g., falls, burns, frostbite). Chronic inhalant abuse can damage cardiac, renal, hepatic, and neurologic systems. Inhalant abuse during pregnancy can cause fetal abnormalities. Diagnosis of inhalant abuse is difficult and relies almost entirely on a thorough history and a high index of suspicion. No specific laboratory tests confirm solvent inhalation. Treatment is generally supportive, because there are no reversal agents for inhalant intoxication. Education of young persons and their parents is essential to decrease experimentation with inhalants. (+info)
Effect of antibacterial home cleaning and handwashing products on infectious disease symptoms: a randomized, double-blind trial.
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BACKGROUND: Despite the widespread household use of cleaning and personal hygiene products containing antibacterial ingredients, their effects on the incidence of infectious disease symptoms have not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of antibacterial cleaning and handwashing products for consumers on the occurrence of infectious disease symptoms in households. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind clinical trial. SETTING: Northern Manhattan inner-city neighborhood, New York. PARTICIPANTS: 238 primarily Hispanic households (1178 persons) that included at least one preschool-age child. INTERVENTIONS: Households were randomly assigned to use either antibacterial or nonantibacterial products for general cleaning, laundry, and handwashing. All products were commercially available, but the packaging was blinded and the products were provided free to participants. MEASUREMENTS: Hygiene practices and infectious disease symptoms were monitored by weekly telephone calls, monthly home visits, and quarterly interviews for 48 weeks. RESULTS: Symptoms were primarily respiratory: During 26.2% (717 of 2736) of household-months, 23.3% (640 of 2737) of household-months, and 10.2% (278 of 2737) of household-months, one or more members of the household had a runny nose, cough, or sore throat, respectively. Fever was present during 11% (301 of 2737) of household-months, vomiting was present in 2.2% (61 of 2737), diarrhea was present in 2.5% (69 of 2737), and boils or conjunctivitis were present in 0.77% (21 of 2737). Differences between intervention and control groups were not significant for any symptoms (all unadjusted and adjusted relative risks included 1.0) or for numbers of symptoms (overall incidence density ratio, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.82 to 1.12]). CONCLUSIONS: The tested antibacterial products did not reduce the risk for symptoms of viral infectious diseases in households that included essentially healthy persons. This does not preclude the potential contribution of these products to reducing symptoms of bacterial diseases in the home. (+info)
Seasonal pesticide use in a rural community on the US/Mexico border.
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An environmental measurement and correlation study of infant and toddler exposure to pesticides was carried out in a colonia south of the city of Laredo, Texas. As part of the study, homes were visited during the late spring or summer, and during the winter of 2000-2001. At each visit, families reported on their use of pesticides in and around the home and floor wipe samples were collected and analyzed for 14 organophosphate and triazine pesticides. Selection of homes was based on the presence of infants and toddlers. A total of 27 homes participated in both seasonal visits. The interval between visits was 6 +/- 1.4 months. Univariate and multivariate nonparametric analyses were carried out using SPSS statistical software. Pesticide use within the home was more often reported than outside use and showed seasonal variation in use patterns. Indoor use was primarily associated with ants and cockroaches, and secondarily with rodents. The primary room treated was the kitchen, and the primary structures treated were the floors, lower walls, and dish cupboards. Seasonal variations were not found in the use of pesticides used outside the home and outdoor use was primarily associated with ant control. Based on parent reports, most pesticides used in the homes were pyrethroids. Several of the pesticides measured in floor wipe samples, Azinphos methyl, Fonofos, and Simazine, also showed seasonal variations. However, these pesticides are used in agriculture and were not associated with reported house and yard use patterns. (+info)
Household wood and charcoal smoke increases risk of otitis media in childhood in Maputo.
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BACKGROUND: This study examined the association of otitis media in children <6 years old and the exposure to wood and charcoal smoke, as well as to other risk factors, in Maputo. METHODS: Case-control study. In all 750 children matched by sex and age were enrolled in a hospital-community study. Cases were gathered from among children visiting the Central Hospital of Maputo with otitis media and controls were recruited in the same village as the cases. Conditional logistic regression was performed to evaluate, simultaneously, the effect of each risk factor. RESULTS: Cases were more likely to have been exposed to tobacco smoke (OR = 1.51), to wood (OR = 1.85) and charcoal (OR = 1.50) household smoke, to short term breastfeeding (OR = 1.47), and to live in overcrowded conditions (OR = 1.49). Multivariate analysis stratified by age groups (younger and older than 2 years) showed that cases were more likely to be exposed to wood and charcoal smoke than controls, regardless of age. Among children aged >2 years, Eustachian tube dysfunction was evident (OR = 3.06) particularly in those living in less overcrowded conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this study are consistent with earlier studies that have reported an association between parental smoking, short duration of breastfeeding, and Eustachian tube dysfunction. The association with wood and charcoal smoke indicates that there is a need to educate people regarding the avoidance of exposing their children to this environmental hazard. (+info)