Introduction: Formaldehyde (FA) is a chemical, traditionally used in pathology and anatomy laboratories as a tissue preservative. Many studies clearly indicated that FA can induce genotoxic effects in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Aim of work: to evaluate the genotoxic effects of formaldehyde among medical and paramedical personnel in The Histopathology Laboratory. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in histopathology laboratory including 30 workers occupationally exposed to formaldehyde and 29 persons from other lab in kasr Al Aini hospital matching the exposed group for age, sex and socioeconomic status with no history of occupational exposure to formaldehyde. A questionnaire was done including inquiries about age, sex, occupational history and special habits. All participants were subjected to the following laboratory investigations: measuring DNA protein crosslink (DPC), sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus (Mn) frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Environmental monitoring of the work place was done to measure the level of FA at different place in the pathology lab. Results: This study showed statistically significant increase of DPC with significant increase in sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus MN in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Conclusion: The studied group was exposed to formaldehyde level above the exposure limits recommended by NIOSH, ACGIH and OSHA with adverse health effects in the form of increase in DPC, SCE and Mn as genotoxicity biomarkers. These genotoxicity biomarkers are considered to play an important role in the carcinogenesis of FA.
Introduction: Formaldehyde (FA) is a high-production-volume chemical with a wide array of uses. Recently, it was re-evaluated for its carcinogenic effects and reclassified as humans carcinogen (Group 1) based on sufficient evidence in human and experimental animal studies. Aim of the work: to evaluate the pre-carcinogenic effects of formaldehyde among medical personnel in The Histopathology Laboratory. Materials and Methods:The study was conducted in histopathology laboratory including 30 workers occupationally exposed to formaldehyde and 29 persons matching with the exposed group for age, sex and socioeconomic status with no history of occupational exposure to formaldehyde. A questionnaire was done including inquiries about age, sex, occupational history and special habits. All participants were subjected to the following laboratory investigations: measuring DNA protein crosslink (DPC) and protein 53 (p53) both mutant and wild type. Results: This study shows statistically significant increase in symptoms and signs of respiratory and eye and skin irritation with significant increase of DPC and p53 wild and mutant types as pre carcinogenic effects of formaldehyde. Conclusion: The studied group in the histopathology laboratory was exposed to formaldehyde level above the exposure limits recommended by NIOSH, ACGIH and OSHA with adverse health effects in the form of increase in DPC and p53 (wild and mutant types) which are considered to play an important role in the carcinogenesis of FA.
Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) presents globally as a significant health problem and health care workers (HCW) are at increased risk of contracting TB infection. There is no diagnostic gold standard for latent TB infection (LTBI). Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) is the traditional testing method for diagnosing LTBI, but it has a known high rate of false positive with subsequent needless loss of time, efforts, loss of productivity and side effects. Quantiferon test (QFT) has been developed as a potential replacement for the TST. Aim of work: To assess the prevalence of TB among health care workers in high, medium and low risk areas for TB infection at Cairo University Hospitals (CUH) and to validate the use of Quantiferon as a screening test for TB compared to tuberculin test. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study with convenient sample of 200 HCWs employed in Cairo University Hospitals and agreed to participate was performed. Information on gender, age, workplace, job title, BCG vaccination and history of both TB and TST were collected using a questionnaire. All participants were subjected to clinical examination, TST, Quantiferon test and chest X-ray. Results: The participants were 70 males and 130 females with mean age + SD (34.7 ± 12.6years). TST was positive in 86 cases (43%) and the QFT results were positive in 38 cases (19%). There was average agreement between the two tests (76%, к = 0.474), concordance between two tests improved from (к = 0.474) at cutoff point 10 mm to (к = 0.492) at cutoff point 15 mm. LTBI was most common principally among nurses, workers in Chest Department, Internal Medicine Department and technicians in bacteriology lab with highest mean diameter of induration for the studied population in the chest department (16.6mm). According to the nature of work the laboratory technicians had the highest mean diameter of induration (16.58mm). Thirty-four (17%) of the studied Recommendations: There is risk of tuberculosis transmission among HCWs at Cairo University Hospitals, principally among nurses, workers in Chest Department, Internal Medicine Department and technicians in bacteriology lab. Large scale of screening involving all University hospitals staff must be performed. We recommend screening of HCWs using TST then confirming positive cases by Quantiferon and following them. Disease probability in HCWs tested positive by serial testing should be further assessed by chest radiograph. Further reinforcement of the infection control policy is a must and treatment regimen for latent TB infection has to be followed.
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