A Niche for Infectious Disease in Environmental Health: Rethinking the Toxicological Paradigm

Abstract

ObjectiveIn this review we highlight the need to expand the scope of environmental health research, which now focuses largely on the study of toxicants, to incorporate infectious agents. We provide evidence that environmental health research would be strengthened through finding common ground with the tools and approaches of infectious disease research.Data sources and extractionWe conducted a literature review for examples of interactions between toxic agents and infectious diseases, as well as the role of these interactions as risk factors in classic “environmental” diseases. We investigated existing funding sources and research mandates in the United States from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, particularly the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.Data synthesisWe adapted the toxicological paradigm to guide reintegration of infectious disease into environmental health research and to identify common ground between these two fields as well as opportunities for improving public health through interdisciplinary research.ConclusionsEnvironmental health encompasses complex disease processes, many of which involve interactions among multiple risk factors, including toxicant exposures, pathogens, and susceptibility. Funding and program mandates for environmental health studies should be expanded to include pathogens in order to capture the true scope of these overlapping risks, thus creating more effective research investments with greater relevance to the complexity of real-world exposures and multifactorial health outcomes. We propose a new model that integrates the toxicology and infectious disease paradigms to facilitate improved collaboration and communication by providing a framework for interdisciplinary research. Pathogens should be part of environmental health research planning and funding allocation, as well as applications such as surveillance and policy development.

Immunotoxicology: challenges in the 21st century and in vitro opportunities

“…We often forget that the human body carries Not only sterile inflammation appears to play a role in the toxic effects of chemicals. Only slowly, the interplay of toxic damage and infection is beginning to be addressed (Ilbäck and Friman, 2007;Feingold et al, 2010). Taken together, the inflammatory component of various toxicities is underappreciated.…”

Operationalizing One Health: Stone Mountain and Beyond

“…Needless to say, many collaborative relationships persisted but for the most part collaboration was accomplished on a topic-specific basis. The current global movement of people, animals, products, and pathogens demands a holistic approach to surveillance and response to disease emergence and changing ecosystems that is much more than a return to an earlier version of One Health (Cutler 2010;Lloyd-Smith 2009;Feingold 2010).…”

Nanopartículas modificadas en productos de consumo

“…27 Linda Birnbaum, directora del Instituto Nacional de Ciencias de la Salud Ambiental (en inglés, NIEHS), dice que la investigación realizada por el instituto revela repetidamente nuevas interacciones entre el sistema inmune y las enfermedades que tienen claramente componentes ambientales, tales como el autismo y el cáncer de mama. "Sabemos que hay relaciones numerosas y complejas entre el microbioma y nuestro sistema inmune", dice Birnbaum.…”

“…26 Otros estudios in vitro han indicado que algunos tipos de nanopartículas de dióxido de titanio y óxido de zinc son tóxicas para el cerebro humano y para las células de los pulmones. [27][28][29] Los ENM en los productos comestibles han atraído menos la atención de los investigadores; sin embargo, se recomienda mantenerlos alejados de los alimentos orgánicos. Un motivo puede ser que no es claro Noticias de salud ambieNtal hasta qué grado los alimentos que contienen ENM han llegado de hecho a los supermercados, si bien muchos observadores han señalado que, sin lugar a dudas, el campo de la ciencia alimentaria está en una búsqueda sumamente activa de ingredientes nanoscópicos para mejorar la textura, el sabor, el valor nutritivo, la vida útil y la seguridad.…”