Aims:To assess knowledge, attitude, practice, and toxicity symptoms associated with pesticide use and exposure among 189 farm workers in the Gaza Strip.Methods:A cross section of agricultural farm workers in the Gaza Strip were asked to fill in a questionnaire on knowledge, attitudes, practice towards pesticide use, and associated toxicity symptoms.Results:Farm workers reported high levels of knowledge on the health impact of pesticides (97.9%). Moderate to high levels of knowledge were recorded on toxicity symptoms related to pesticides. Most farm workers were aware of the protective measures to be used during applying pesticides. However, no one took precautions unless they knew about the measures. Burning sensation in eyes/face was the commonest symptom (64.3%). The prevalence of self reported toxicity symptoms was dependent on mixing and use of high concentrations of pesticides. The highest percentage of self reported toxicity symptoms was found among the farm workers who returned to sprayed fields within one hour of applying pesticides.Conclusions:Farm workers in the Gaza Strip used pesticides extensively. Despite their knowledge about the adverse health impact of the pesticides, the use of protective measures was poor. Most had self reported toxicity symptoms, particularly the younger workers. It would be useful to minimise the use of pesticides and encourage alternative measures. Prevention and intervention programmes regarding the use of protective measures and monitoring the health status of farm workers should be implemented.

Clinical and Biochemical Features of Type 2 Diabetic Patients in Gaza Governorate, Gaza Strip Aspects cliniques et biochimiques du diabète de type

The present study is aimed to assess the therapeutic potential of sulfonylurea drug glimepiride in comparison with Nerium oleander plant extract on insulin, glucose levels and some liver enzymes activities in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Rats were rendered diabetic by intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of 50 mg kg(-1) body weight streptozotocin. Rats with serum glucose levels > 200 mg dL(-1) were subdivided into three sub-groups: the first sub-group were remained without treatment and considered as diabetics. The second and third subgroups were orally administered 0.1 mg kg(-1) body weight/day glimepiride and 250 mg kg(-1) body weight/day Nerium oleander, respectively for 4 weeks. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats showed hypoinsulinemia and hyperglycemia compared to controls. Strong negative correlation (r = -0.8) was found between serum insulin and glucose levels in diabetic rats. This correlation was +0.4 and -0.3 in glimepiride and Nerium olender-treated rats, respectively implying that glimepiride and plant extract improved insulin and glucose levels with the former was more efficient. The activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase were significantly increased in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats compared to controls. Treatment of diabetic rats with glimepiride or Nerium oleander extract also improved liver enzymes activities.

To assess serum cholinesterase levels and symptoms among farm workers who used mainly organophosphorus pesticides in the Gaza Strip, the authors took blood samples from and administered symptom questionnaires to an occupational cohort of 48 field workers. The authors tested the workers for serum acetylcholinesterase and serum butyrylcholinesterase (SBuChE) levels at the beginning and end of each work day. The authors took 20 employees as referents. The mean activity of SBuChE of the farm workers at the end of the spraying day (X = 3.28+/-0.12 kU/l) was lower by 13.2% than that of the referents at the end of the follow-up day (3.78+/-0.20 kU/l). Many symptoms were self-reported by farm workers. Certain symptoms, such as itching, skin irritation, and a burning sensation in eyes or face, were significantly associated with cholinesterase inhibition. A greater end-of-day reduction in SBuChE activity occurred in younger workers, those workers mixing pesticides, and with day of direct re-entry to the workplace. The authors detected alterations in some blood indexes. The study confirmed the finding that illness in pesticide workers exposed to organophosphorus pesticides can occur with trivial reductions in cholinesterase.

ObjectiveNutritional deficiencies are very significant to the overall health of humans at all ages and for both genders, yet in infants, children and women of childbearing age these deficiencies can seriously affect growth and development. The present work is aimed to assess homocysteine and vitamin B12 status in females with iron deficiency anemia from the Gaza Strip.MethodsVenous blood samples were randomly collected from 240 female university students (18–22 years old) and parameters of the complete blood count, serum ferritin, homocysteine and vitamin B12 were measured. Statistical analysis included the t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the IBM SPSS software (version 18). Statistical significance was set for p-values <0.05.ResultsThe results revealed that 20.4% of the students have iron deficiency anemia. The mean serum vitamin B12 level in females with iron deficiency anemia (212.9 ± 62.8 pg/mL) was significantly lower than in normal controls (286.9 ± 57.1 pg/mL) and subjects with microcytic anemia and normal ferritin (256.7 ± 71.1 pg/mL). Significantly higher serum homocysteine levels were reported in the iron deficiency anemia group (27.0 ± 4.6 μmol/L) compared to normal controls (15.5 ± 2.9 μmol/L) and in subjects with microcytic anemia and normal ferritin (18.1 ± 2.7 μmol/L). Statistically significant negative correlations were reported for serum homocysteine with serum ferritin, vitamin B12, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels.ConclusionImportant associations were found between serum homocysteine and markers of iron deficiency. Monitoring homocysteine levels might be essential to understand the development of different clinical conditions including anemia. It seems necessary to conduct prospective trials to determine whether treating anemia ameliorates homocysteine levels.