Background. Healthcare workers are at increased risk of developing hand eczema. Objectives. To investigate the prevalence and severity of self‐reported hand eczema, and to relate the findings to demographic data, occupation, medical speciality, wards, shifts, and working hours. Patients/materials/methods. A survey of 3181 healthcare workers was performed. Data were analysed with logistic regression. Data on sick leave and notification to the authorities were obtained. Results. The response rate was 71% (2274 of 3181). The 1‐year prevalence of hand eczema was 21%, and was positively associated with atopic dermatitis, younger age, male sex (male doctors), and working hours. Eighty nine per cent of subjects reported mild/moderate lesions. Atopic dermatitis was the only factor significantly related to severity. Sick leave was reported by 8% of subjects, and notification to the authorities by 12%. Conclusions. The 21% prevalence of hand eczema in healthcare workers is double the prevalence in the background population. Eleven per cent of hand eczema patients reported severe/very severe eczema. No significant differences were found between professions or medical specialities with respect to prevalence or severity, but cultural differences between professions with respect to coping with the eczema were significant. Atopic dermatitis was related to increased prevalence and severity, and preventive efforts should be made for healthcare workers with atopic dermatitis.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of an intervention to reduce work related skin problems in gut cleaning departments in Danish swine slaughterhouses. The intervention consisted of an evidence based prevention programme and a documented method for implementation. Methods: Randomised controlled intervention study with a one year follow up. The intervention included educational activities and evidence based recommendations. The effect of the intervention was evaluated by telephone interviews using a standardised questionnaire based on the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ-2002) with modified and additional questions on exposure, preventive measures, information, and discussions on prevention of skin problems, etc. Results: A total of 644 (87.5%) responded at the baseline interview and 622 (71.6%) at the one year follow up interview. A total of 495 participated in both interviews (67.3%). In the intervention departments the frequency of eczema on hands or forearms within the past three months at follow up was reduced significantly from 56.2% at baseline to 41.0% at follow up, while a slight non-significant increase was observed in the comparison departments (from 45.9% to 50.2%). The intervention activities resulted in more frequent use of protective gloves in general and the use of cotton gloves worn underneath rubber and plastic gloves. At follow up three times as many in the intervention departments used the recommended high fat skin care products introduced as part of the intervention activities. At follow up, discussion of skin problems was increased in the intervention group while no changes were observed in the comparison group. Conclusions: A significant 27% relative reduction of occupational eczema in a high risk group was feasible through implementation of an evidence based prevention programme.F or many years occupational skin diseases have been the most frequent recognised work related diseases in many industrialised countries. 1 2 Despite considerable knowledge on risk factors and prevention of occupational skin diseases obtained from clinical, epidemiological, and experimental studies, the eczema frequency in the working population remains high and has even increased in some populations. [2][3][4] Occupational skin diseases are often chronically relapsing, 5 they affect workers early in their working age, 3 6 impair their health related quality of life, and the social and economic impacts are often severe. 7-9 Wet work occupations, such as the healthcare sector and the food processing industry represent major risk groups. 6 A study from Japan made in 1983 found skin symptoms in 65.1% of 527 workers in four poultry slaughterhouse workers: most symptoms were caused by wet work. 10 Different kinds of evidence based prevention programmes have with more or less success been introduced in different occupations. [11][12][13][14][15] The working conditions in the food processing industry often involve wet work, various skin irritants, allergens (from, for example, foods, soaps, and disinfectants), and h...

BackgroundMalawi experienced prolonged use of sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP) as the front-line anti-malarial drug, with early replacement of chloroquine and delayed introduction of artemisinin-based combination therapy. Extended use of SP, and its continued application in pregnancy is impacting the genomic variation of the Plasmodium falciparum population.MethodsWhole genome sequence data of P. falciparum isolates covering 2 years of transmission within Malawi, alongside global datasets, were used. More than 745,000 SNPs were identified, and differences in allele frequencies between countries assessed, as well as genetic regions under positive selection determined.ResultsPositive selection signals were identified within dhps, dhfr and gch1, all components of the parasite folate pathway associated with SP resistance. Sitting predominantly on a dhfr triple mutation background, a novel copy number increase of ~twofold was identified in the gch1 promoter. This copy number was almost fixed (96.8% frequency) in Malawi samples, but found at less than 45% frequency in other African populations, and distinct from a whole gene duplication previously reported in Southeast Asian parasites.ConclusionsSP resistance selection pressures have been retained in the Malawian population, with known resistance dhfr mutations at fixation, complemented by a novel gch1 promoter duplication. The effects of the duplication on the fitness costs of SP variants and resistance need to be elucidated.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-016-1634-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

SignificanceAssessing antigen-specific T cells is crucial for our understanding of immune reactions against pathogens and tumors, and for evaluating immunotherapies in patients. Existing techniques to evaluate the functionality of T lymphocytes all rely on de novo expression of proteins, typically intracellular cytokines, and therefore require elaborated protocols and reagents. We have established a simple flow cytometry-based method to assess the functionality of CD8+ T cells by identifying immediate changes in the conformation and valency of cell surface integrins that occur within minutes following antigenic stimulation. Because of its robustness, sensitivity, and broad applicability, the assay can be rapidly implemented for the measurement and isolation of functional T cells for basic research and in the clinical setting.

Danish seafarers, especially short-term employees, had an elevated risk of hospitalization for lifestyle-related diseases.