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2012, National Environmental Health Association.
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2012, Volume 74, No. 6
International Perspectives: A Chikungunya Outbreak in the Metropolis of Chennai, India, 2006
Thomas Seyler | Patrick Sakdapolrak | S. Sanjeevi Prasad | R. Dhanraj
Abstract
In 2006, several southern states in India reported outbreaks of chikungunya. In the metropolis of Chennai, the first laboratory-confirmed chikungunya cases had an onset of symptoms at the end of May 2006. The authors reviewed surveillance data in which a suspected case of chikungunya was defined as a patient presenting with fever and arthralgia at a medical camp in Chennai on and after June 20, 2006. Over the same period, the authors reviewed surveillance data and larval indices for the vector Aedes aegypti. From June 20 to October 10, 2006, they reported 4,760 suspected cases of chikungunya (attack rate of 0.1%, no fatalities). Control measures included removal of breeding sites, daytime fogging against adult mosquitoes, and information campaigns. The early detection and effective prevention of future outbreaks rely on strengthened human and entomological surveillance, participation of private medical practitioners in case reporting, and community involvement to reduce potential breeding sites of the vector.
International Perspectives: Mold Growth in On-Reserve Homes in Canada: The Need for Research, Education, Policy, and Funding
Michael Optis, MASc | Karena Shaw, PhD | Peter Stephenson, PhD | Peter Wild, PhD
Abstract
The impact of mold growth in homes located on First Nations reserves in Canada is a part of a national housing crisis that has not been adequately studied. Nearly half of homes on reserves contain mold at levels of contamination associated with high rates of respiratory and other illnesses to residents. Mold thrives due to increased moisture levels in building envelopes and interior spaces. Increased moisture stems from several deficiencies in housing conditions, including structural damage to the building envelope, overcrowding and insufficient use of ventilation systems, and other moisture-control strategies. These deficiencies have developed due to a series of historical and socioeconomic factors, including disenfranchisement from traditional territory, environmentally inappropriate construction, high unemployment rates, lack of home ownership, and insufficient federal funding for on-reserve housing and socioeconomic improvements.
The successful, long-term reduction of mold growth requires increased activity in several research and policy areas. First, the actual impacts on health need to be studied and associated with comprehensive experimental data on mold growth to understand the unique environmental conditions that permit the germination and growth of toxic mold species. Second, field data documenting the extent of mold growth in on-reserve homes do not exist but are essential in understanding the full extent of the crisis. Third, current government initiatives to educate homeowners in mold remediation and prevention techniques must be long lasting and effective. Finally, and most importantly, the federal government must make a renewed and lasting commitment to improve the socioeconomic conditions on reserves that perpetuate mold growth in homes. Without such improvement, the mold crisis will surely persist and likely worsen.
Compendium: International Perspectives: Asbestos in Public Hospitals: Are Employees at Risk?
Henroy P. Scarlett, MPH, DrPH | Edward Postlethwait, PhD | Elizabeth Delzell, MSPH, SD | Nalini Sathiakumar, MD, DrPH | R. Kent Oestenstad, MSPH, PhD
Abstract
Asbestos is an established human carcinogen. Asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM) are used in surfacing materials, thermal system insulation (TSI), and miscellaneous materials, and they have been used in buildings in Jamaica in the past. The objective of the study described here was to identify ACBM, its characteristics, and its determinants in Jamaican hospitals. A walk-through survey of all hospitals was undertaken and 152 bulk samples were collected from 26 public and private hospitals. The samples were analyzed using polarized light microscopy. Sixteen (61.5%) hospitals had ACBM used mainly as TSI. The ACBM in most cases was friable and in a poor condition indicative of fiber release and contained the fibers chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite. The age of hospitals was not associated with the presence of ACBM. Results indicated potential risk of asbestos exposure in hospitals. The hospital authorities should formulate and implement an asbestos policy for hospitals and undertake proper management of asbestos in all hospitals.
Compendium: Potential Health Hazards for Students Exposed to Formaldehyde in the Gross Anatomy Laboratory
Dewan S. Raja, MBBS, MPhil | Bahar Sultana, MBBS
Abstract
Formaldehyde, which has been a well-established preservative for cadavers in the anatomy laboratory for years, has an odor that many anatomy students find unpleasant. Anatomy faculty and students, embalmers in funeral homes, histopathology laboratory workers, and other biological researchers are continually exposed to the toxic vapors of formaldehyde. The immediate effects of that agent are nausea, headache, and ocular irritation that causes tear overflow and a burning sensation in the throat. Long-term exposure to formaldehyde can cause contact dermatitis, congenital defects, and cancer. This article discusses the adverse effects of continual exposure to formaldehyde and formalin and suggests various measures that can eliminate or minimize that danger to staff and students in gross anatomy laboratories.
Compendium: United States Import Safety, Environmental Health, and Food Safety Regulation in China
Edward O. Nyambok | Justin J. Kastner, PhD
Abstract
China boasts a rapidly growing economy and is a leading food exporter. Since China has dominated world export markets in food, electronics, and toys, many safety concerns about Chinese exports have emerged. For example, many countries have had problems with Chinese food products and food-processing ingredients. Factors behind food safety and environmental health problems in China include poor industrial waste management, the use of counterfeit agricultural inputs, inadequate training of farmers on good farm management practices, and weak food safety laws and poor enforcement. In the face of rising import safety problems, the U.S. is now requiring certification of products and foreign importers, pursuing providing incentives to importers who uphold good safety practices, and considering publicizing the names of certified importers.
Compendium: Special Report: The 2011
Japanese Earthquake: An Overview of Environmental Health Impacts
Dhitinut Ratnapradipa, PhD, MCHES | James Condor, PhD | Ami Ruffing | Victor White, CHES
Abstract
A magnitude 9.0 earthquake rupturing the Earth’s crust nearly 130 km off the east coast of Japan on March 11, 2011, triggered a tsunami that reached the Japanese coast approximately 30 minutes later. The combined effects of the earthquake and tsunami (known as the Tohoku event) devastated the area of northeast Japan, resulting in widespread infrastructure destruction, loss of life, and environmental contamination. Perhaps the longest-lasting impact of the Tohoku event will result from the damage to the nuclear power plants along the coast and the subsequent release of radioactive elements into the environment. This article describes the environmental impacts of the disaster and highlights the interconnectedness between the core areas of environmental health including air quality, water quality, weather/climate change, food safety, healthy housing, waste/sanitation, infectious disease/vector control, radiation, injury prevention, emergency preparedness, and toxicology. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the spectrum of the natural disaster and its environmental health impact to the human population. Future scientific analysis may confirm or challenge the information presented here.
Legal Briefs: Why the Retention of Public Health Records Matters
Andrew Weisbecker, JD
Abstract
NEHA’s popular Legal Briefs column is back! Lawyers from Marler Clark, LLP, PS, nationally known for its practice in the field of food safety, will be sharing their expertise with the Journal’s readership. In this column, the author explores why it is important to retain public health records in order to avoid legal risks or unnecessary costs.
Direct from NCSL: State Legislative
Update: Final Count for 2011
Doug Farquhar, JD
Abstract
The 2011 legislative cycle was even more challenging than in previous years. State environmental health programs are being dismantled, but not by legislative fiat. Rather, state legislatures are not eliminating environmental health protection, they are simply demanding states to do more with less. This column provides a legislative summary of environmental health bills and laws introduced and passed in 2011. These bills and laws cover topics such as air quality, asbestos, bed bugs, biomonitoring and health tracking systems, hazardous materials and toxic substances, carbon monoxide, children’s environmental health, food safety, and water quality.
Direct from CDC: Environmental Health
Internship Essentials
Alex Choo | Jacob Gerke | Victoria Sellers | Maha Syed
Abstract
The CDC Summer Program in Environmental Health (SUPEH) is designed to provide interns with a broad internship experience while exposing them to a range of technical and core competencies. SUPEH is a 10-week program that exposes students to field practices and operations in a variety of environmental health topic areas at the local, state, and federal government levels. This column discusses this student opportunity in greater detail.
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March 2012, Volume 74, No. 7
Sneakers and Spokes: An Assessment of the Walkability and Bikeability of
U.S. Postsecondary Institutions
Tanya M. Horacek, PhD, RD | Adrienne A. White, PhD, RD | Geoffrey W.
Greene, PhD, RD | Melissa M. Reznar, MPH | Virginia M. Quick, RD | Jesse
S. Morrell, MS | Sarah M. Colby, PhD, RD | Kendra. K. Kattelmann, PhD,
RD | Minette S. Herrick | Karla P. Shelnutt, PhD, RD | Anne Mathews,
PhD, RD | Beatrice W. Phillips, PhD, RD | Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, PhD,
RD, FADA
Abstract
The purpose of
the study described in this article was to assess the walkability and
bikeability of 15 U.S. postsecondary education campuses. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention’s evidence-based Healthier Worksite
Initiative Walkability Audit was modified to rate campus walking and
biking path segments for path safety, quality, and comfort. Universities
(n = 13) assessed an average of 44 path segments, which earned a mean
score of 72.71±10.77 SD (possible range 0 to 100). Postsecondary
technical schools (n = 2) assessed 20 path segments, which received an
average score of 76.56±13.15. About 70% of path segments received a
grade A or B, but almost 1 in 10 received a failing or poor support
score for walking and biking. Nearly half or more campus environments
scored significantly below an acceptable score on many path safety and
quality criteria. Postsecondary education campuses that are supportive
of walking and biking offer numerous benefits to the environment and
people. Findings from environmental assessments like the data reported
here can provide valuable input to campus planners.
Lead in Drinking Water: Sampling in Primary Schools and Preschools in
South Central Kansas
Anne R. Massey | Janet E. Steele, PhD
Abstract
Studies in Philadelphia, New York City, Houston, Washington, DC, and
Greenville, North Carolina, have revealed high lead levels in drinking
water. Unlike urban areas, lead levels in drinking water in suburban and
rural areas have not been adequately studied. In the study described in
this article, drinking water in primary schools and preschools in five
suburban and rural south central Kansas towns was sampled to determine
if any exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)
guidance level for schools and child care facilities of 20 parts per
billion (ppb). The results showed a total of 32.1% of the samples had
detectable lead levels and 3.6% exceeded the U.S. EPA guidance level for
schools and child care providers of 20 ppb. These results indicate that
about one-third of the drinking water consumed by children age six and
under in the five suburban and rural south central Kansas towns studied
has some lead contamination, exposing these children to both short-term
and long-term health risks. The authors suggest a need for increased
surveillance of children’s drinking water in these facilities.
The Potential for Community Exposures to Pathogens From an Urban Dairy
Marisa Chattman, MS | Sheri L. Maxwell | Charles P. Gerba, PhD
Abstract
The objectives of the study described in this article were to evaluate
the variation and transport of fungal and bacterial concentrations in
the air of a northern Mexico dairy cattle confined animal feeding
operation (CAFO) and to determine the concentration and incidence of
antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Two-stage viable
cascade impactors were used to measure the culturable airborne fungal
organisms and bacteria. S. aureus resistant to penicillin, ampicillin,
or cefaclor was identified.
Samples were collected at three locations that were designated as on site,
upwind of the cattle, and downwind of the cattle. The highest
concentrations of culturable bacterial bioaerosols were consistently
recovered from the on-site location. More than half of the organisms
were antibiotic resistant at the on-site location. Elevated levels of
culturable bacterial bioaerosols were recovered from the upwind site
that may have been associated with the surrounding community. Bioaerosol
concentrations were found in higher amounts than in a facility in the
southwestern U.S. examined in the authors’ previous study. The urban
setting of the CAFO resulted in a higher potential for immediate
community exposures.
Direct from ATSDR: ATSDR in the 21st Century
Christopher J. Portier, PhD
Abstract
The purpose of this column is to inform readers of ATSDR’s activities and initiatives to better understand the relationship between exposure to hazardous substances in the environment and their impact on human health and how to protect public health. In this column installment, the author provides a brief history of the federal agency as well as current directions and future paths.
Direct from CDC: Evaluating Local and State Food and Water Safety Programs
Kristin Delea, MPH, REHS
Abstract
This month’s column provides information CDC’s Environmental Health Specialists Network (EHS-Net) and the plans to conduct an evaluation of local and state food and water safety programs. Some of the anticipated results of this evaluation include identification of services provided by food and water safety programs, a description of infrastructure and how it changes over time, identification of program strengths and gaps, assessment of future program challenges, and measurement of the impact of public health interventions.
Demystifying the Future: 12 Laws of the Future
Thomas Frey
Abstract
This new column to the Journal of Environmental Health is intended to provide readers with access to the critical thinking of the highly regarded futurist, Thomas Frey. This installment covers “12 Laws” to both expand thinking and put it into a useable framework for other to work with.
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April 2012, Volume 74, No. 8
The Dilemma of Promoting Green Products: What We Know and Don’t Know About Biobased Metalworking Fluids
Ephraim Massawe, ScD | Kenneth Geiser, PhD
Abstract
Advocates of “green products” argue that promoting these products can protect the environment, workers, and public health. Biobased metalworking fluids (MWFs) are among the products promoted as “green products.” The main question is, what constitutes a green product? To answer this question, the authors compared and contrasted the health and safety aspects of biobased and petroleum-based MWFs in terms of their additives. These two product categories of MWFs derived from various feedstocks were investigated through interviews and literature review. Three classes of biobased MWFs and four classes of petroleum-based MWFs were identified and compared. The little information available on the individual constituents for biobased MWFs indicates that they had biocides and preservatives, corrosion inhibitors, extreme pressure, and antiwear components, which are also common additives in petroleum-based MWFs. Precautionary approaches should be taken when promoting biobased MWFs as “green products” until individual components are evaluated for their health and safety impacts.
Fish Consumption and Advisory Awareness Among the Philadelphia Asian Community: A Pilot Study
Hernando Perez, PhD, MPH, CIH, CSP, HHS | Erin C. Sullivan, MPH | Karen Michael,
MPH | Reginald Harris, MA
Abstract
Difficulties in the risk communication of fish consumption arise from the concept that this consumption can have both harmful and beneficial effects. This is particularly an issue among populations for which seafood is a major dietary and cultural component. Fish advisories are an important tool in preventing overconsumption of fish that have elevated concentrations of toxic contaminants. The exploratory pilot study described in this article examined fish consumption patterns and knowledge of the potential health risks associated with overconsumption of mercury-contaminated fish within a limited (N = 34) sample of the Philadelphia Asian-American population. Study data were used to evaluate the efficacy of state-issued advisories designed to encourage safe levels of fish consumption within the study population. Results indicate that while advisory awareness levels among study participants were greater than previously observed in Asian-American populations, consumption levels remained high. The limited findings of the authors’ study, in combination with existing evidence, suggest the need for the development of more effective methods of disseminating advisory information.
A Survey of California Public School Districts’ Ant and Weed Management Practices and a Review of Their Use of IPM
Carole Barnes, PhD | Sandra Sutherland | Madeline Brattesani, PhD | Larry Wilhoit, PhD | Belinda Messenger, PhD
Abstract
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency encourages school officials to adopt integrated pest management (IPM) to reduce children’s exposure to potentially harmful pesticides. In California, the Healthy Schools Act of 2000 (HSA) establishes right-to-know requirements for pesticide use in public schools; requires school districts to designate an IPM coordinator; and requires the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to collect pesticide-use information from pest control businesses, conduct IPM training workshops, and promote least-toxic pest management practices. DPR periodically surveys school districts statewide to measure compliance with the HSA and the use of least-toxic management practices compatible with IPM and to guide DPR’s training and outreach efforts. Results from three surveys, conducted in 2001, 2002, and 2004, show that an increasing number of districts use ant management practices compatible with IPM; however, fewer districts use IPM-compatible weed management practices. DPR’s California School IPM program plans to develop technical materials and to conduct training workshops that will provide districts with more information about how to use an IPM program to prevent and manage weeds.
Direct from CDC: Public Health Performance Management: Opportunities for Environmental Public Health
LCDR Justin Gerding, MPH, REHS | Julianne Price, RS
Abstract
The Environmental Public Health Performance Standards (EnvPHPS) provides a set of standards that describes optimal performance and capacity with which environmental public health programs and systems can fulfill the 10 Essential Environmental Public Health Services. The EnvPHPS can be utilized to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental public health services. This month’s column provides a real-world example of how the EnvPHPS can initiate performance management and quality improvement activities in local-level environmental public health.
Demystifying the Future: 28 Major Trends for 2012 and Beyond: Part 1
Thomas Frey
Abstract
In this installment of Demystifying the Future, Thomas Frey talks about many of the new trends occurring in society, technology, business, and beyond. This column covers the first 16 trends, which include “Retail 2.0,” “The Persistent ‘Big Lie’ Opportunity,” “Emerging Data Marketplace,” “Information Doesn’t Want to be Free,” “Fast-Niche Online Universities,” and many more.
Legal Briefs: Public Health Records That Stand Up in Court
Dave Babcock, JD
Abstract
This month’s column provides helpful information to environmental public health professions to help them ensure that their documents, inspection records, and reports can be admitted as records in a legal court case and that they can stand up to scrutiny from both sides of a legal case.
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May 2012, Volume 74, No. 9
Bacterial Amplification and In-Place Carpet Drying: Implications for Category 1 Water Intrusion Restoration
Jim Holland, REA, RestCon Environmental | John Banta, CAIH, RestCon Environmental | Boni Passmore, PhD, RCAnalytical | Mark Ayers, CAC, RestCon Environmental | Sean P. Abbott, PhD, Natural Link Mold Lab, Inc. | Eugene C. Cole, DrPH, Brigham Young University
Abstract
The study described in this article investigated whether in-place carpet drying processes resulted in bacterial amplification following water intrusion from a clean water source (category 1) in a residential indoor environment. Bacterial amplification was examined after wetting a 10-year-old carpet and pad that had no history of water intrusion. Three test areas were extracted and dried using industry-recommended procedures for in-place drying and compared to a control area that was not extracted or dried. Results from carpet, pad, and subsurface dust demonstrated that bacterial amplification occurred in all test areas. CFUs of bacteria per gram of carpet surface dust and subsurface dust prior to water intrusion were lower than levels in subsurface dust after in-place drying. The authors’ study contributes to information regarding the restoration of water-based carpet damage by professional water damage restoration companies, building maintenance personnel, and housekeeping managers. Results suggest that the appropriate response time for carpet pad salvage is considerably shorter than the current industry recommendation of 72 hours.
2005 Hurricane Surveillance: Measures to Reduce Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in All Floridians
A. Becker, MPH, PhD, Florida A&M University | T. Dark, PhD, Florida A&M University | T. Mason, PhD, University of South Florida | B. Goodwin, PhD, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Abstract
The 2005 Florida hurricanes caused widespread power outages, increasing generator use that directly resulted in a surge in carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings. Of the 126 CO poisonings documented, 77% were related to generator use and 43% of these generators were placed outside but near a window. African-Americans and Latinos had a higher incidence of CO poisoning. The strength of the authors’ study described here was the inclusion of the first responder network in one surveillance system for hurricane response. Notable advances have occurred since the authors’ study, including CO poisoning listed as a reportable condition, regulation requiring CO detectors, CO generator warning labeling and the development of a local surveillance and classification program for the county health departments. To prepare for future multiple hurricane seasons, comprehensive outreach should be focused at the local level through the first responder network and community groups to reduce CO poisonings in all populations.
Occupational and Environmental Exposures Among Alaska Native and American Indian People Living in Alaska and the Southwest United States
Diana Redwood, MPH, MS, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium | Anne P. Lanier, MPH, MD, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium | Michael Brubaker, MS, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium | Laurie Orell, MPH, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium | Lillian Tom-Orme, PhD, University of Utah | Carmen George, MS, University of Colorado Denver | Sandra Edwards, PhD, University of Utah | Martha Slattery, PhD, University of Utah
Abstract
Most occupational and environmental research describes associations between specific occupational and environmental hazards and health outcomes, with little information available on population-level exposure, especially among unique subpopulations. The authors describe the prevalence of self-reported lifetime exposure to nine occupational and environmental hazards among 11,326 American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults enrolled in the Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) Study in the Southwest U.S. and Alaska. The top three hazards experienced by AI/AN people in Alaska were petroleum products, military chemicals, and asbestos. The top three hazards experienced by AI/AN living in the Southwest U.S. were pesticides, petroleum, and welding/silversmithing. The study described here found that male sex, lower educational attainment, AI/AN language use, and living in the Southwest U.S. (vs. Alaska) were all associated with an increased likelihood of hazard exposure. The authors’ study provides baseline data to facilitate future exposure-response analyses. Future studies should measure dose and duration as well as environmental hazards that occur in community settings.
Direct from ATSDR: The Burden of Environmental Disease in the United States
Katherine H. Pugh, MS | Gregory M. Zarus, MS
Abstract
The U.S. spends over $2 trillion every year on health—yet ranks 37th in overall health among nations of the world. Health protection was the old emphasis and is not shifting to health promotion, prevention, and preparedness. It is helpful to identify the economic burden of major disease groups in order to develop and support the best evidence-based health protection strategies. This column focuses on defining the economic burden of environmental disease in the U.S. looking at the top ten environmental disease groups.
Direct from CDC: Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) and International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC)
Rob Blake, MPH, REHS | Jay Peters
Abstract
Due to swimming’s popularity among U.S. residents—coupled with a lack of consistent health regulations, an increase in disease outbreaks related to aquatic facilities, and the occurrence of tragic injuries at these facilities—there is a pressing need for injury prevention measures and for adequate pool operation and maintenance. This column explores two codes that help fill this void: the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) and the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC).
Demystifying the Future: 28 Major Trends for 2012 and Beyond: Part 2
Thomas Frey
Abstract
In this installment of Demystifying the Future, Thomas Frey talks about many of the new trends occurring in society, technology, business, and beyond. This column covers the last 12 trends, which include “Going Cashless,”, “Driverless Cars and Autonomous Vehicles,” “Going Waitless,” “The Self-Health Movement,” and many more.
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