Showing posts with label risk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label risk. Show all posts

Friday, December 23, 2016

Travel Associated Rabies in Pets and Residual Rabies Risk Western Europe Volume 22 Number 7—July 2016 Emerging Infectious Disease journal CDC

Travel Associated Rabies in Pets and Residual Rabies Risk Western Europe Volume 22 Number 7—July 2016 Emerging Infectious Disease journal CDC


Travel-Associated Rabies in Pets and Residual Rabies Risk, Western Europe - Volume 22, Number 7—July 2016 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal - CDC



Volume 22, Number 7—July 2016

Dispatch

Travel-Associated Rabies in Pets and Residual Rabies Risk, Western Europe

On This Page

  • The Study
  • Conclusions
  • Suggested Citation

Figures

  • Figure

Tables

  • Table 1
  • Table 2

Downloads

  • PDF[946 KB - 4 pgs]
  • RIS[TXT - 2 KB]
Florence Ribadeau-DumasComments to Author , Florence Cliquet, Philippe Gautret, Emmanuelle Robardet, Claude Le Pen, and Hervé Bourhy
Author affiliations: Université Paris Dauphine, Paris, France (F. Ribadeau-Dumas, C. Le Pen)Institut Pasteur, Paris (F. Ribadeau-Dumas, H. Bourhy)French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Malzéville, France (F. Cliquet, E. Robardet)Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France (P. Gautret)Aix Marseille University, Marseille (P. Gautret)
Suggested citation for this article

Abstract

In 2015, countries in western Europe were declared free of rabies in nonflying mammals. Surveillance data for 2001–2013 indicate that risk for residual rabies is not 0 because of pet importation from countries with enzootic rabies. However, the risk is so low (7.52 × 10?10) that it probably can be considered negligible.
Although western and northern Europe and most countries in central Europe have eliminated rabies in nonflying animals (https://zenodo.org/record/49670#) (1,2), alerts are regularly issued because of importation of rabid pets. Policy makers recommend postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) after exposure in Western Europe to bats or pet bites in areas with rabies alerts. However, the policy after exposure to these pets is unclear (https://zenodo.org/record/49670#).
Residual risk for rabies in pets in Western Europe is defined as no risk (no PEP necessary) or low risk (PEP recommended after exposure), depending on recommendations (e.g., no risk according to Public Health England and low risk according to the World Health Organization) (3). Thus, evaluation of residual rabies risk in western Europe caused by pet movement is needed. We evaluated residual rabies risk caused by pet movement in western Europe.

The Study

We calculated the risk that a given pet in western Europe is contagious for rabies on a given day by the equation
We describe factors associated with rabid pets (https://zenodo.org/record/49670#) and define pet transport as any noncommercial movement of a live cat, dog, or ferret and its owner or an authorized person across an administrative border.
During 2001–2013, a total of 21 animal rabies cases attributed to pets from rabies-enzootic countries were reported in western Europe (https://zenodo.org/record/49670#), which represented 1.6 pets/year and 23 days/year of potential contagiousness. Fifteen dogs and 1 kitten originated from rabies-endemic countries outside western Europe. Five dogs raised in western Europe acquired rabies outside this region. One dog subsequently infected 2 indigenous dogs in France (4). All pet owners were identified. All owners except 1 (a Spanish man living in a van) were official residents of western Europe. Circumstances that led to pet examination and rabies diagnosis were clinical suspicion (14 pets), bitten humans (3 pets), border quarantine (2 pets), and retrospective data (2 pets with indigenous secondary cases during the alert in France in 2008).
Average contagious period was 16 days/pet: 14 days in western Europe (8 days without signs of rabies and 6 days with signs of rabies) and 2 days before arriving in western Europe. For 1 dog, signs of rabies appeared before the animal entered western Europe. For each rabid animal, an average of 34 (range 0–187) persons and other animals received PEPs. The maximum value of this range corresponds to an alert in France in 2004. After this alert, 1,200 animals were tested and 759 were observed for 1 year. Human and pet vaccinations led to vaccine shortages that required importing of vaccines not authorized for use in France (5).
We identified animal origin and mode of entry into western Europe (Table 1). Most rabies cases originated in Morocco and were recorded in France. Three cases were imported from eastern Europe to Germany, 1 from The Gambia to France, and 1 from Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom. Customs officials could not identify any of 11 cases in animals transported mainly by road (e.g., after a ferry trip from Morocco to Spain, Portugal, or France). Seven pets were transported through other countries in western Europe before arriving in the country of diagnosis (https://zenodo.org/record/49670#). Six puppies and 1 kitten were transported by air, of which only 2 were identified by customs officials (in the United Kingdom and Germany).
Thumbnail of European Union (EU) regulations (no. 998/2003 and no. 576/2013, http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32013R0576) on movement of cats, dogs, and ferrets, 2003–2013. Before 2003, national rules applied (e.g., animal checked at destinations, rabies vaccination, animal identification, quarantine, health certification). EC, European community. *http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/list_third_en.htm. †A pet passport is required for pets transported in the E
Figure. European Union (EU) regulations (no. 998/2003 and no. 576/2013, http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32013R0576) on movement of cats, dogs, and ferrets, 2003–2013. Before 2003, national rules applied (e.g., animal checked at destinations, rabies vaccination,...
Of 19 transported rabid pets, 8 (42%) had no rabies vaccination, pet passport, or health certificate. Only 6 were vaccinated (0/2 infected in France, 3/3 imported but raised in western Europe, 3/7 imported by air, and 0/8 imported by road). Most vaccinated pets did not comply with recommended age for vaccination (>12 weeks of age) or time between vaccination, serologic analysis, and transport. No reports mentioned valid rabies serologic analysis included in European Pet Movement Policy (Figure) for unlisted third countries (e.g., Morocco, the Gambia, Sri Lanka, or Azerbaijan) (6). Using data for 2001–2013, we calculated that, for contact on a given day with a pet in western Europe, the probability of the pet being contagious for rabies attributed to pet transport was 7.52 × 10?10 (Table 2).
We observed a significant correlation between number of contagious days for dogs in a country and number of tourists traveling from this country to Morocco (? = 0.73, p = 0.017). We found no correlation with other variables tested (total dog population, dog population density, number of dogs per inhabitant).

Conclusions

Risk for indigenous rabies has decreased in western Europe. During 2001–2013, because of appropriate control of imported rabid pets, only 4 indigenous cases of human rabies were reported (3 in recipients of organs from a donor infected in India and 1 from a rabid bat in Scotland) (https://zenodo.org/record/49670#). Since 2011, no indigenous rabies cases have been reported in terrestrial mammals in western Europe. Because of increased travel (7), rabies imported by trips to rabies-enzootic countries has increased, and travel became the main source of rabies in humans (1.46 patients/year) (8) and pets (1.6 rabid pets/year) in 2001–2013. However, because of improved surveillance, although the number of imported rabies cases increased, the number of secondary cases decreased (https://zenodo.org/record/49670#).
Illegal importation of rabid animals is not limited to western Europe (9) or dogs and cats (10). This finding highlights the need for a global approach for regulation of animal movement worldwide and strengthening real-time reporting for animal and human rabies.
Risk for dog rabies being reintroduced into the European Union from Morocco was estimated as 0.21 cases/year (11). However, we estimate that 1.1 pets/year are entering western Europe after being infected in Morocco. Morocco has become the main source of pet rabies in western Europe, often through Ceuta and Melilla (Spanish enclaves in northern Morocco). Because no prophylaxis or specific vaccinations are needed for travel to northern Africa, few travelers seek pretravel advice and most have little knowledge of pet rabies (12,13).
Lack of awareness also increases importation of human rabies. Despite an efficient policy for preventing entry of rabid pets, the United Kingdom reported the highest number of patients with imported rabies during the study period (https://zenodo.org/record/49670#). Patients returning to this country did not believe that a correct PEP was needed after exposure abroad. None of the transported rabid pets fully satisfied European Pet Movement Policy, which raised questions about how to improve the current regulation application. Increasing international travel, expansion of the Schengen area (26 countries in Europe that have a common visa policy) into rabies-enzootic countries in eastern Europe, and development of internet animal trade (source of illegal importation) (14) are new challenges for ensuring compliance.
Because bat rabies is more difficult to control than dog rabies, and some developing countries still have difficulties controlling rabies, eradication of rabies is not a realistic objective. Awareness should be increased, and current regulations for pet transport should be applied to reduce rabies importation and ensure that risk in western Europe remains low.
To avoid unnecessary and costly PEP and optimize resource allocation, it should be clearly stated which WHO recommendations, Public Health England recommendations, or other practices most relevant after pet exposure should be applied. Low risks (<10-–6) are usually considered acceptable or essentially 0 (3,15). The risk of a fatal car crash while traveling to PEP consultations was higher than the risk of rabies after exposure to a pet in France in 2001–2011 (3). The most pertinent policy in areas at low risk for rabies is probably that of the United Kingdom (i.e., no PEP outside alert areas that do not have asymptomatic animals or exposure to bats) (https://zenodo.org/record/49670#).
Dr. Ribadeau-Dumas is a physician and doctoral candidate in economics at Paris Dauphine University, Paris, France. Her research interests are infectious diseases, public health, health economics, and rabies.

Acknowledgment

We thank Karim Boubaker, Bernard Brochier, Laurent Dacheux, Juan Emilio Echavarria Mayo, Franco Mutinelli, Jacques-André Romand, and Reto Zanoni for providing information on rabies cases; Sylvie Tourdiat for providing assistance with formatting tables and the figure; and Delphine Libby-Claybrough for providing assistance with English editing.

References

  1. Cliquet FPicard-Meyer ERobardet ERabies in Europe: what are the risks? Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther2014;12:9058DOIPubMed
  2. Freuling CMHampson KSelhorst TSchröder RMeslin FXMettenleiter TCThe elimination of fox rabies from Europe: determinants of success and lessons for the future. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci2013;368:20120142DOIPubMed
  3. Ribadeau Dumas FN’Diaye DSPaireau JGautret PBourhy HLe Pen CCost-effectiveness of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis in the context of very low rabies risk: a decision-tree model based on the experience of France. Vaccine2015;33:236778DOIPubMed
  4. French multidisciplinary investigation team. Identification of a rabid dog in France illegally introduced from Morocco. Euro Surveill. 2008;13:pii: 8066.PubMed
  5. Servas VMailles ANeau DCastor CManetti AFouquet EAn imported case of canine rabies in Aquitaine: investigation and management of the contacts at risk, August 2004–March 2005. Euro Surveill2005;10:2225.PubMed
  6. Regulation (EC) no. 998/2003 of the European parliament and of the council, 2003 [cited 2015 Apr16]. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32013R0576
  7. World Tourism Organization. UNWTO annual report 2014. Madrid: UNWTO 2015 [cited 2015 Jun 10].http://www2.unwto.org/annualreport2014
  8. Carrara PParola PBrouqui PGautret PImported human rabies cases worldwide, 1990–2012. PLoS Negl Trop Dis2013;7:e2209DOIPubMed
  9. Lankau EWTack DMMarano NCrossing borders: one world, global health. Clin Infect Dis2012;54:vviDOIPubMed
  10. Metlin AEHolopainen RTuura SEk-Kommonen CHuovilainen AImported case of equine rabies in Finland: clinical course of the disease and the antigenic and genetic characterization of the virus. J Equine Vet Sci2006;26:5847 .DOI
  11. Napp SCasas MMoset SParamio JLCasal JQuantitative risk assessment model of canine rabies introduction: application to the risk to the European Union from Morocco. Epidemiol Infect2010;138:156980DOIPubMed
  12. Altmann MParola PDelmont JGautret PKnowledge, attitudes, and practices of French travelers from Marseille regarding rabies risk and prevention. J Travel Med2009;16:10711DOIPubMed
  13. Gautret PRibadeau-Dumas FParola PBrouqui PBou

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Saturday, December 3, 2016

Massachusetts Surgeon on Cataract Macular Degeneration Risk

Massachusetts Surgeon on Cataract Macular Degeneration Risk


Massachusetts Cataract Surgeon Francis D’Ambrosio, Jr., M.D. explained that cataracts and age related macular degeneration (AMD) share at least one common risk factor-AGE. Cataract formation and macular degeneration both increase in frequency and incidence with age and thus it is pretty common to have one, the other or both as we head through our 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. The question that many patients get confronted with is whether to have cataract surgery if they have macular degeneration. And, if they do, will it make the AMD get worse and faster.


The general consensus among cataract surgeons is that with proper preoperative diagnostic testing, examination and consultation patients who have age related macular degeneration (ARMD) and who develop a cataract are able to have cataract surgery after being counseled on what to expect with regard to overall vision improvements and lifestyle benefits. While ARMD is not a reason to avoid cataract surgery, realistic expectations must be established by and between you and your cataract surgeon. Further, the most current and widely accepted studies on AMD progression after cataract surgery found that there was no difference in the frequency of the disease among patients who had cataract surgery as compared to those who did not.


If you or someone you know has cataracts and age related macular degeneration and have questions about cataract surgery and lens implants, contact D’Ambrosio Eye Care by calling us at 800-325-3937, visiting D’Ambrosio Eye Care or facebook.com/dambrosioeyecare so that we can help recommend an appropriate treatment plan.


Staffed by a team of Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses, eyewear  and optical services.


DAmbrosio Eye Care is a leading eye and LASIK care practice serving the greater Boston and central Massachusetts area including Acton, Athol, Berlin, Bolton, Boylston, Boxborough, Chelmsford, Clinton, Concord, Fitchburg, Gardner, Greenfield, Groton, Harvard, Hudson, Lancaster, Leominster, Lexington, Littleton, Lowell, Lunenburg, Marlborough, Milford, Orange, Shelburne Falls, Shirley, Sterling, Stow, Sudbury, Templeton, Westminster, Westborough, Winchendon and Worcester, Massachusetts.


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Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Restaurant Cooking Trends and Increased Risk for Campylobacter Infection Volume 22 Number 7—July 2016 Emerging Infectious Disease journal CDC

Restaurant Cooking Trends and Increased Risk for Campylobacter Infection Volume 22 Number 7—July 2016 Emerging Infectious Disease journal CDC


Restaurant Cooking Trends and Increased Risk for Campylobacter Infection - Volume 22, Number 7—July 2016 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal - CDC





Volume 22, Number 7—July 2016

Research

Restaurant Cooking Trends and Increased Risk for Campylobacter Infection

On This Page

  • Methods
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • Suggested Citation

Figures

  • Figure 1
  • Figure 2
  • Figure 3
  • Figure 4
  • Figure 5
  • Figure 6

Tables

  • Table

Downloads

  • PDF[1.29 MB - 8 pgs]
  • RIS[TXT - 2 KB]
Anna K. Jones, Dan Rigby1, Michael Burton, Caroline Millman, Nicola J. Williams, Trevor R. Jones, Paul Wigley, Sarah J. O’BrienComments to Author , Paul Cross1, and for the ENIGMA Consortium
Author affiliations: Bangor University, Bangor, Wales, UK (A.K. Jones, P. Cross)University of Manchester, Manchester, UK (D. Rigby, M. Burton, C. Millman)University of Liverpool, Neston, UK (N.J. Williams, T.R. Jones, P. Wigley, S.J. O’Brien)
Suggested citation for this article

Abstract

In the United Kingdom, outbreaks of Campylobacter infection are increasingly attributed to undercooked chicken livers, yet many recipes, including those of top chefs, advocate short cooking times and serving livers pink. During 2015, we studied preferences of chefs and the public in the United Kingdom and investigated the link between liver rareness and survival of Campylobacter. We used photographs to assess chefs’ ability to identify chicken livers meeting safe cooking guidelines. To investigate the microbiological safety of livers chefs preferred to serve, we modeled Campylobacter survival in infected chicken livers cooked to various temperatures. Most chefs correctly identified safely cooked livers but overestimated the public’s preference for rareness and thus preferred to serve them more rare. We estimated that 19%–52% of livers served commercially in the United Kingdom fail to reach 70°C and that predicted Campylobacter survival rates are 48%–98%. These findings indicate that cooking trends are linked to increasing Campylobacter infections.
Foodborne illness is very costly, comprising medical expenses, loss of earnings, and reduced quality of life. In the United States, the annual healthcare cost is ?$14 billion annually (1); in the United Kingdom, it is £1.8 billion (2). The foodborne illness most commonly responsible for these costs is campylobacteriosis (35). In the United States, cases increased by 13% between 2006–2008 and 2013 (6). In the United Kingdom, Campylobacteraccounted for over half of the estimated 500,000 cases of foodborne disease during 2011–2012 (3,7); in the United States, it accounts for 9% of foodborne disease cases annually (4).
Foods implicated as Campylobacter vehicles include poultry, red meat, milk, and water (711). Studies of outbreaks and sporadic cases have identified the principal source of infection as undercooked chicken meat (914). In the United Kingdom, increasing numbers of outbreaks are attributed to undercooked chicken livers (9) despite the fact that the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has provided guidelines for safely cooking them. These increased infections seem to have coincided with a trend among leading chefs to advocate minimal cooking of chicken livers, despite recommendations to maintain liver cores at 70°C for 2–3 minutes to ensure they areCampylobacter free (15).
Although the association between consuming chicken livers and infection with Campylobacter is well known (9), the underlying reasons for the changing epidemiology of outbreaks associated with chicken liver consumption are unclear. We hypothesized that the trend toward including rarer, pinker meat in the recipes of leading chefs and by mass media representation of meat cooking may be contributing to changes in the way chicken livers are consumed.
We therefore conducted an interdisciplinary investigation by using a combination of methods from social and biological sciences. Participants were selected from the UK population, and the study was conducted during 2015. Our study objectives were 1) to investigate the ability of chefs and members of the public to identify cooked chicken livers that meet FSA guidelines for safe cooking, 2) to elicit the preferences of chefs and the public regarding the rareness of chicken livers, and 3) to model the survival of Campylobacter in chicken livers sautéed to various core temperatures.

Methods

Participants
We recruited a quota-based sample of 1,030 members of the UK public via an online market research panel (http://www.researchnow.com). Quotas were used to ensure representativeness in terms of age groups and social class. The quota permitted an unequal split by sex (up to 70% women) because in the United Kingdom, food preparation at home is more commonly performed by women than men. We also recruited 143 chefs through face-to-face convenience sampling at culinary shows and competitions and by online culinary forums.
All participants gave informed consent. Respondents were debriefed on the purpose of the survey after completion and given the opportunity to withdraw their data. Ethical approval was obtained from the College of Natural Science Ethics Committee at Bangor University (CNS/2014/AJ1).
Preparation of Visual Aids
To prepare cooked chicken liver dishes to serve as visual aids, we used methods similar to those used in studies of hamburgers (16) and beefsteaks (17). A chef cooked 7 batches of chicken livers for various times, recorded the maximum core temperature for each batch, and arranged each batch on a plate for photography by a professional photographer. The process was repeated (without the temperature being recorded) for 3 other meats (duck breasts, lamb racks, and beef burgers).
Surveys of Preference and Knowledge
Thumbnail of Chicken liver images, in order of cooking time/rareness, used in survey to determine preferences and knowledge of safe cooking practices among chefs and the public, United Kingdom.
Figure 1. Chicken liver images, in order of cooking time/rareness, used in survey to determine preferences and knowledge of safe cooking practices among chefs and the public, United Kingdom.
To determine preferences and knowledge of safe cooking practices among chefs and members of the public, we used the images of cooked chicken livers as visual aids. The images were presented in surveys (online and print), arranged in order of cooking time/rareness (Figure 1). The surveys for chefs and the public were similar, except that the chefs were asked about serving preferences and the public was asked about eating preferences.
To avoid biases (such as social desirability bias) resulting from respondents perceiving the survey to be about food safety, we described the survey as being about food preferences. Respondents were first asked preference questions about 3 of the 4 meats (in random order) to obscure the focus on chicken livers and safety. Chefs were asked to indicate which chicken liver dish was cooked “the way you would like to serve it” and “the way you think most customers would like it.” Members of the public were asked which dish they would prefer if “eating out” and “eating at home.”
Respondents were subsequently asked which chicken liver dish (if any) was the first they thought would meet FSA safe cooking guidelines. Additional questions were asked about perceived trends and influences regarding cooking meat, dining habits, and demographic information such as class and age. Chefs provided additional information about their current position, such as their training and industry experience.
Campylobacter Survival
To prepare a suspension of Campylobacter for experimental inoculation, we streaked Camplyobacter jejuni M1 strain (sequence type 137, clonal complex 45) on Columbia agar base containing 5% defibrinated horse blood, incubated it at 37°C under microaerobic conditions for 48–72 h, and then inoculated it into Camplyobacter enrichment broth. After subculture for another 24 h, a bacterial suspension was prepared in maximum recovery diluent to an optical density of 600 nm (?109 CFU/mL). The culture broth was diluted in Camplyobacter enrichment broth to give a suspension of ?105 CFU/mL for inoculation into fresh chicken livers.
The fresh chicken livers were purchased in packs from supermarkets and sorted into batches of 4 with similar weights. The connective tissue was cut between the 2 liver lobes, with the weight of the larger lobe recorded and assigned for inoculation with Campylobacter broth suspension; 4 livers were assigned to each cooking batch. A 1-cm2 area of each liver was scored at its thickest point by using a sterile scalpel blade and injected with 100 ?L (?104CFU) of culture broth, corresponding to the highest levels of Campylobacter reported to be found in naturally contaminated livers (18).
For each cooking time, 10 g butter was heated in a frying pan over moderate to high heat on an electric cooktop; when the butter had finished frothing, the 4 inoculated liver lobes in the batch were added. The maximum core temperature of the largest and smallest liver in each batch was recorded. To determine the survival of the inoculated M1 strain of C. jejuni within the cooked livers, we placed each liver in a sterile petri dish and a 4–5-g portion around the scored inoculated region was removed and added to a Stomacher bag (Seward BA6040, Worthing, UK); 10 mL of Exeter broth was added to each bag before Stomaching (mechanical pounding of the outer surface of the bag to remove bacteria) for 1 min. The homogenized suspension was poured into a 20-mL universal container and incubated at 41°C under microaerobic conditions (Variable Atmosphere Incubator; Don Whitely Scientific, Shipley, UK) for 24 h, after which 1 loopful of broth was plated onto Campylobacter blood-free medium (modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar, containing cefoperazone and amphotericin) at 41°C under microaerobic conditions for 48–72 h. We picked 1 typical Campylobacter colony from at least 1 plate in each batch and confirmed it as C. jejuni by PCR; for a cooked liver to be deemed positive, 1 isolate per batch was confirmed as C. jejuni positive (19).
Data Analyses
Thumbnail of Campylobacter survival in cooked (pan-fried) chicken livers, by cooking time and temperature. Error bars represent minimum and maximum temperatures reached.
Figure 2. Campylobactersurvival in cooked (pan-fried) chicken livers, by cooking time and temperature. Error bars represent minimum and maximum temperatures reached.
We modeled the probability of survival for the 60 livers for which temperature and Campylobacterpresence/absence after cooking were recorded. We used logistic regression to model the relationship between the core temperature of the livers and the survival of Campylobacter. The probability of Campylobacter survival as a function of core temperature was modeled via estimation of a logit model, which captured the nonlinear temperature-survival relationship (Figure 2). Parameter estimates were obtained by using logistic regression (Stata logit command; StataCorp LP, College Station, TX, USA) on the binary variable indicating Camplyobacter survival (1 = survival, 0 = nonsurvival) in a sample of 60 cooked chicken livers. Temperature was the maximum core temperature recorded for the batch from which the chicken liver was taken. This model was used to assign predicted survival rates for each photographed chicken liver dish.
We used the Kolmogorov Smirnov 2-sample test to compare differences in the distribution of knowledge and preferences between groups (chefs and the public). We investigated within-person differences by using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired data. Ordered logit models (20) were estimated to determine the effects of observable characteristics on respondents’ preferences for chicken liver rareness and their choices of FSA-compliant livers.

Results

Campylobacter Survival
We discuss the results of the Campylobacter survival experiment first because an understanding of those results is useful for interpreting the preferences and knowledge analyses. The relationship between core temperature and Campylobacter survival rate was inverse (Table; Figure 2). Of the 32 batches of 4 inoculated livers, the shortest cooking time was 1 minute, leading to a mean core temperature of 36°C and a 100% Campylobacter survival rate. At the maximum mean core temperature (72°C), Campylobacter survival rate was 8.3%.
The logistic model predicted a survival rate of 98% in liver with core temperature that reached 52°C (liver 1) and equivalent survival rates of 95% and 48% at core temperatures of 56°C and 66°C (livers 2 and 3). Liver 4 reached a maximum temperature of 70°C, but the temperature was not held for the recommended 2 minutes; predicted Campylobacter survival rate was 22%. Livers 6 and 7 met the FSA guidelines, and their predicted Campylobactersurvival rate was <0.001%.
Preferences and Knowledge of the Public
Of the 1,030 members of the public surveyed, 43.0% ate chicken livers and hence were asked to select the chicken liver dishes they preferred and which they thought met FSA guidelines. Half (49.3%) of all male respondents and 38.4% of all female respondents ate chicken livers. Rates of chicken liver consumption varied by age group: 18–34 years, 34.7%; 35–44 years, 44.7%; 45–54 years, 49.0%, 55–64 years: 51.5%; and >65: 42.9%. Chicken livers were eaten by half (51.0%) of respondents belonging to UK socioeconomic grouping ABC1 (upper, middle, and lower middle class) and 32.3% of those belonging to C2DE (working class and those at the lowest level of subsistence).
Thumbnail of Rarest chicken livers visually identified by members of the public as complying with FSA cooking guidelines and associated core temperatures and probabilities of Campylobacter survival in survey to determine preferences and knowledge of safe cooking practices among chefs and the public, United Kingdom. Liver image numbers correspond to those shown in Figure 1. FSA, Food Standards Agency.
Figure 3. Rarest chicken livers visually identified by members of the public as complying with FSA cooking guidelines and associated core temperatures and probabilities ofCampylobacter survival in survey to determine preferences and...
Members of the public poorly identified whether a chicken liver met FSA guidelines for safe cooking (Figure 3). Thirty percent identified livers 1–3 as being safe to eat; the predicted rates of Campylobacter survival in these livers were 48%–98%. Another 22% thought that liver 4 (Campylobacter survival rate 22%) was safe to eat.
Thumbnail of Proportion of public identifying which chicken liver dishes they preferred and which they believed complied with FSA cooking guidelines in survey to determine preferences and knowledge of safe cooking practices among chefs and the public, United Kingdom. Liver image numbers correspond to those shown in Figure 1. FSA, Food Standards Agency.
Figure 4. Proportion of public identifying which chicken liver dishes they preferred and which they believed complied with FSA cooking guidelines in survey to determine preferences and knowledge of safe cooking practices among...
No significant difference was found between the public’s choices of FSA-compliant livers and their preferences when dining out (p = 0.776, Wilcoxon signed-rank test; n = 386) (Figure 4); respondents were consistent between what they wanted to eat and what they thought was safe. Respondents showed a significant preference for pinker livers when eating out rather than at home (p = 0.007, Wilcoxon signed-rank test; n = 446). Paradoxically, respondents reported being more concerned about food safety when eating out than at home (p<0.001, Wilcoxon signed-rank test; n = 999).
Ordered logit results (not reported) identified no systematic differences in rareness preferences by respondent sex, age, or class. Livers that were more pink were preferred by respondents who described themselves as adventurous (p<0.030, n = 444) and who were less concerned about restaurant food safety (p<0.001, n = 444).
Perceptions and Knowledge of Chefs
Among the 143 chefs, of those who indicated their sex, 134 (88%) were male. Among the 141 who indicated their type of work, 31.9% worked in fine dining, 17% in contract catering, 11.3% in casual restaurants, 5.7% in pubs, and 19.1% in multiple kitchen types. The most commonly held position among 131 chefs who responded was head chef (54.0%), followed by chef trainer (11.5%), chef de partie (10.7%), commis chef (6.9%), and sous chef (6.1%).
Thumbnail of Proportion of chefs identifying which chicken liver dishes they preferred and which they believed complied with FSA cooking guidelines in survey to determine preferences and knowledge of safe cooking practices among chefs and the public, United Kingdom. Liver image numbers correspond to those shown in Figure 1. FSA, Food Standards Agency.
Figure 5. Proportion of chefs identifying which chicken liver dishes they preferred and which they believed complied with FSA cooking guidelines in survey to determine preferences and knowledge of safe cooking practices among...
Chefs were much better than members of the public at

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Sunday, November 27, 2016

Impotence Drugs Wont Raise Melanoma Risk Study Suggests MedlinePlus

Impotence Drugs Wont Raise Melanoma Risk Study Suggests MedlinePlus


Impotence Drugs Wont Raise Melanoma Risk, Study Suggests: MedlinePlus

MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You

Impotence Drugs Wont Raise Melanoma Risk, Study Suggests

Researchers say skin cancer in these patients is likely due to more sun exposure
     
By Robert Preidt
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
HealthDay news image
TUESDAY, June 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Three widely used erectile dysfunction drugs -- Cialis, Levitra and Viagra -- arent likely to boost the risk of melanoma skin cancer, a new study reports.
Why the concern in the first place? Laboratory tests suggested that lower levels of an enzyme thats inhibited by certain erectile dysfunction drugs might increase the growth of melanoma cells. Melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer.
But studies examining melanoma risk among men who take these drugs have had conflicting results, the researchers said.
The new study included more than 145,000 men who used either Viagra (sildenafil), Cialis (tadalafil) or Levitra (vardenafil). These impotence drugs inhibit an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5). The investigators compared the men taking the drugs to nearly 561,000 men who didnt use them.
Although the study couldnt prove no cause-and-effect link between the drugs and skin cancer, the researchers found only a slightly increased risk of melanoma in men who took the drugs compared to those who didnt.
The study authors suspect there may be other factors behind the reported increases in some cases. In particular, they suggested that sun exposure may play a big role.
The study was published online June 14 in the journal PLoS Medicine.
"All of our observations pointed towards the small apparent increase in risk of melanoma in men prescribed PDE5 inhibitors being explained by greater sun exposure, rather than a side effect of the drugs themselves," senior author Krishnan Bhaskaran, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in England, said in a journal news release.
SOURCE: PLoS Medicine, news release, June 14, 2016
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News stories are provided by HealthDay and do not reflect the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or federal policy.
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Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Physical activity associated with lower risk of many cancers National Institutes of Health NIH

Physical activity associated with lower risk of many cancers National Institutes of Health NIH


Physical activity associated with lower risk of many cancers | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Turning Discovery into Health

Physical activity associated with lower risk of many cancers

At a Glance

  • Leisure-time physical activity is associated with a lower risk of developing 13 different types of cancer.
  • The findings suggest that promoting physical activity may be important in cancer prevention and control.
Senior Hispanic couple walking and holding hands on a sidewalkPast studies have shown that physical activity can have many benefits, including weight control; strengthening bones, muscles and joints; and reducing the risk for heart disease and other disorders.monkeybusinessimages/iStock/Thinkstock
Leisure-time physical activity has many health benefits. In addition to a reduced risk for heart disease, increased physical activity has been associated with a lower risk for colon, breast, and endometrial cancers.
An international team led by Dr. Steven C. Moore at NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) examined the associations between physical activity and various cancers. Results were published online on May 16, 2016, in JAMA Internal Medicine.
The researchers pooled data from 12 studies that together followed a total of 1.44 million people over time. Study participants were 19 to 98 years old (median age of 59), from the United States and Europe, 57% female, and had no history of cancer. The studies assessed physical activity by using surveys that asked about time spent in moderate to vigorous leisure-time physical activities, such as walking, running, or swimming.
The researchers harmonized activity levels between the studies by assigning percentile values from 0 (low activity) to 100 (high activity). They then compared cancer risks for the groups with the highest (top 10%) and lowest (bottom 10%) levels of activity. The median level of activity was about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week. This is comparable to the minimum level of physical activity that experts recommend.
Participants were followed for a median of 11 years. During this time, 187,000 new cases of cancer arose. Cancer types were selected for analysis if there were at least 300 cases.
The researchers found that people with the highest level of leisure-time physical activity had a reduced risk for 13 of 26 types of cancer compared to those with the lowest level of activity. People with the highest activity had a 20% lower risk for 7 cancer types: esophageal adenocarcinoma, liver, lung, kidney, gastric cardia, endometrial, and myeloid leukemia. They also had a 10-20% lower risk for myeloma and cancers of the head and neck, rectum, bladder, and breast.
The scientists controlled for factors such as age, sex, smoking status, alcohol use, diet, education, race/ethnicity, and body mass index (BMI). Ten of the 13 associations remained after adjusting for BMI. This suggests that, for the majority of cancers, physical activity reduces risk through mechanisms other than lowering body weight.
Leisure-time physical activity was associated with a greater risk of malignant melanoma, particularly in people from regions with strong sunlight. Outdoor physical activity increases sun exposure, which may lead to the higher melanoma risk. The investigators also found an association between physical activity and a higher risk of prostate cancer. There is no known biological rationale for this finding. Men who are more physically active might be more likely to get screened for prostate cancer, thus increasing rates of detection.
“Leisure-time physical activity is known to reduce risks of heart disease and risk of death from all causes. Our study demonstrates that it is also associated with lower risks of many types of cancer,” Moore says. “Health care professionals counseling inactive adults should promote physical activity as a component of a healthy lifestyle and cancer prevention.”

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Reference: 
Association of Leisure-Time Physical Activity With Risk of 26 Types of Cancer in 1.44 Million Adults. Moore SC, Lee IM, Weiderpass E, Campbell PT, Sampson JN, Kitahara CM, Keadle SK, Arem H, Berrington de Gonzalez A, Hartge P, Adami HO, Blair CK, Borch KB, Boyd E, Check DP, Fournier A, Freedman ND, Gunter M, Johannson M, Khaw KT, Linet MS, Orsini N, Park Y, Riboli E, Robien K, Schairer C, Sesso H, Spriggs M, Van Dusen R, Wolk A, Matthews CE, Patel AV. JAMA Intern Med. 2016 May 16. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.1548. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 27183032.
Funding: NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI).

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