Over 700 plant species are recognized as potentially toxic in the world and of these, which are often used as ornamental species reach to 468. So, why then insist  with the problem of rhus in our region?. In the U.S. each year, thousands of people suffer from painful inflammation of the skin by contact with poison ivy (Rhus radicans), a plant that is widespread in that country. In Argentina, we had that problem because we had no rhus plants. We started in 2001 to handle cases of contact dermatitis from this plant. We knew then, indirectly, about the import and spread of alien species from detecting the first cases, which quickly began to multiply. Thus we learn that in the city of Rosario had 200 copies of Rhus tiphina, planted in 1996 (Video in Spanish) and also in other cities and towns near Rosario (see below). An important difference between the toxicity of rhus respect to other ornamental toxic  plants, is that most of the plants that are toxic they are to swallow, a situation unlikely, except in small children or pets, not like the rhus contact. The second difference is that the latency between exposure and onset of dermatitis is delayed between 24 and 48 hours minimum, sometimes up to a week, so you can not easily correlate the exposure with the onset of clinical symptoms. Worse is when the contact with objects contaminated with urushiol ... This led us to make further comments on two recurring themes: the endemic by bromate and rhus, in addition to other previous contributions such as rhus dermatitis: an epidemic advances in our region. We talked about what happened in Totoras, Santa Fe, where they had joined the public trees and had some copies with pictures of some children dermatitis.The same happened in Monte Maiz, Cordoba, where several children playing "war" with their fruit suffered severe  dermatitis. The response of the authorities of that ltown may be drastic but it certainly was effective. They decided to slash and burn of the 100 newly planted specimens (show). From Sertox, we can only discourage individuals from being planted these trees and even encourage the removal of which have recently been planted, but we believe that more effective measures should be taken at government levels. Otherwise, the logo of this issue and the title of the editorial will remain in force. And our editorials on the rhus not allow us to discuss current issues. Just this month there were many new features. Finally, review the recently completed edition of RETEL No. 26, the first of 2010. Until the next issue. JCP

Mechanisms of acetaminophen-induced liver necrosis.Hinson JA, Roberts DW, James LP. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2010; (196): 369-405. Abstract

Lack of Association Between Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination and Autism in Children: A Case-Control Study. Mrozek-Budzyn, Dorota PhD; Kieltyka, Agnieszka PhD; Majewska, Renata MSc. The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal: December 01, 2009. Abstract

Current awareness of Clinical Toxicology, has been published monthly since 1997 and gives a selected list of references relevant to clinical toxicology.  It is edited by Sarah Cage and Allister Vale and is produced by the National Poisons Information Service (Birmingham Unit). See February 2010 PDF.

Toxicants detected  in Asia Monkey hair may warn of  environmental threats. Selected Science News,  January 20, 2010. Alquimia. Testing hair from Asian monkeys living close to people may provide early warnings of toxic threats to humans and wildlife, according to a study published online last week in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology. In parts of South and Southeast Asia, macaques and people are synanthropic, which means they share the same ecological niche. They drink from identical water sources, breathe the same air, share food sources, and play on the same ground. "Macaques are similar to humans anatomically, physiologically and behaviorally," said the senior author on the study, Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel, a senior research scientist at the National Primate Research Center at the University of Washington in Seattle. "They are also similar in their response to toxic exposures," said lead author Dr. Gregory Engel, a physician at Swedish Cherry Hill Family Medicine in Seattle and a research scientist at the UW National Primate Research Center. When macaques live in environments polluted by motor vehicles, openly disposed garbage, and industrial waste, they can come into contact with toxic substances such as lead, just as their human neighbors might. Read more

FDA Says LABA Asthma Drugs Not for Solo Use. MedPage Today (By John Gever, Senior Editor). February 18, 2010. Long-acting beta agonist (LABA) agents should never be used alone in children or adults with asthma, the FDA said today in announcing label changes and other initiatives intended to promote safe use of these popular drugs.Package inserts for the two single-agent LABAs approved for asthma, salmeterol (Serevent) and formoterol (Foradil), will be changed to require that the drugs always be used in combination with an asthma controller medication such as an inhaled corticosteroid, according to the FDA.Other new items to be required on the products' labels include:

• LABAs should only be used long-term in patients with asthma not adequately controlled with inhaled steroids or other controller medications.
• The agents should be used for the shortest time possible to achieve symptom control. Once patients are no longer experiencing symptoms, LABAs should be discontinued if possible with patients maintained on controller medications alone.
• Children and adolescents needing a LABA should use a combination product that also contains an inhaled steroid to ensure compliance with both medications.
  

AAN: Industrial Cleaner Again Tied to Parkinson Risk. By John Gever, Senior Editor, MedPage Today. February 07, 2010.  The degreasing agent trichloroethylene (TCE) has been linked to increased rates of Parkinson's disease among industrial workers in yet another study, this time involving a large, well-studied group of World War II veterans. Parkinson's disease developed in individuals with occupational exposure to TCE at more than five times the rate seen in those without such exposure (odds ratio 5.5, 95% CI 1.02 to 30), reported Samuel Goldman, MD, of the Parkinson's Institute in Sunnyvale, Calif.Goldman described the research in a phone interview with MedPage Today. It's scheduled for presentation here in April at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting.A previous study in 2008 had fingered TCE as the most likely culprit behind a cluster of Parkinson's disease cases afflicting workers at a single industrial plant. (See Trichloroethylene Implicated as Risk for Parkinsonism) [ See ]

Ginkgo biloba's epilepsy seizures warning- bbcnewa. Jan 29, 2010. People with epilepsy should be warned that using a popular herbal remedy may increase the risk of seizures, researchers say. German scientists, writing in the Journal of Natural Products, said they had found 10 written reports of seizures linked to ginkgo biloba. They said they were convinced the herb could have a "detrimental effect". A leading UK epilepsy charity said the evidence was not yet compelling, although it said care was needed. [ See ]. See also previous related articles: A new paper in JAMA about Gingko and A new paper in JAMA about Gingko II

Jimsonweed Poisoning Associated with a Homemade Stew --- Maryland, 2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). February 5, 2010 / 59(04);102-104. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5904a3.htm

• Acute selenium poisoning by paradise nuts (Lecythis ollaria).Müller D, Desel H.See. Two previously healthy women developed nausea, vomiting, headache and dizziness for several days, a massive hair loss about 2 weeks later and a discoloration of the fingernails. Detailed diagnostic procedures did not reveal any pathological results. Therapeutic measures did not show any effect. Thallium and arsenic were within normal range in plasma. Delayed quantitative determination of selenium in blood, however revealed toxic values (in case I: 479 mug/L of serum, 8 weeks after ingestion, and in case II 300 mug/L of serum, 9 weeks after ingestion). In retrospect, a relation to the ingestion of paradise nuts could be.
  

• Acute Selenium Toxicity Associated With a Dietary Supplement. Jennifer K. MacFarquhar, Danielle L. Broussard, Paul Melstrom, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(3):256-261. See abstract or read then. Sent by Alfredo Rovere

[ Ir Arriba ]

Happy New Year!. Thirty two languages, one message from the BBC World Service