Brain tumours are the most common solid tumour in children. However, little is known about their aetiology, and only a small percentage of cases can be attributed to established risk factors. Exposure to farm animals and pets have been considered as possible risk factors for childhood brain tumour (CBT) development for several reasons. Numerous factors associated with farm life, including bacteria, pesticides, solvents and some animal oncogenic viruses, have been found to induce brain tumour formation in animals. Some studies have found viral gene sequences in human brain tumours. Epidemiological studies of brain tumours in adults have reported an increased risk among veterinarians and farmers. In this review, data are examined from seven case-control studies published between 1979 and 1998 that considered a possible relationship between fetal or childhood exposure to farm animals or pets and CBT. Five of the seven studies examined childhood farm residence or exposure of mother or child to farm animals and, of these five, four reported elevated risk for CBT with odds ratios (OR) ranging from 0.9 to 2.5 for maternal exposures and from 0.6 to 6.7 for children's exposures. Later studies that were larger subsequently examined histological type and reported excess risk for primitive neuroectodermal tumours (PNETs) with farm residence prenatally (OR = 3.7, CI = 0.8, 24) or in childhood (OR = 5.0, CI = 1.1, 4.7). Increased risk of PNET was also associated with maternal exposure to pigs (OR = 12, CI = .1, 47) or poultry (OR = 4.0, CI = 1.2, 13). The results of these studies showed few other consistent relationships between farm life or farm animals and CBT.

There was strong support for the use of videoconferencing for patient wound rounds among providers, burn center staff, and patients/families. Telemedicine is a promising technology to improve inpatient burn rounds.

Tent fires are a growing issue in regions with large homeless populations given the rise in homelessness within the US and existing data that suggest worse outcomes in this population. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics and outcomes of tent fire burn injuries in the homeless population. A retrospective review was conducted involving two verified regional burn centers with patients admitted for tent fire burns between January 2015 and December 2020. Variables recorded include demographics, injury characteristics, hospital course, and patient outcomes. Sixty-nine patients met the study inclusion criteria. The most common mechanisms of injury were by portable stove accident, assault, and tobacco or methamphetamine-related. Median percent total body surface area (%TBSA) burned was 6% (IQR 9%). Maximum depth of injury was partial thickness in 65% (n=45) and full thickness in 35% (n=24) of patients. Burns to the upper and lower extremities were present in 87% and 54% of patients, respectively. Median hospital Length-of-Stay (LOS) was 10 days (IQR=10.5) and median ICU LOS was 1 day (IQR=5). Inhalation injury was present in 14% (n=10) of patients. Surgical intervention was required in 43% (n=30) of patients, which included excision, debridement, skin grafting, and escharotomy. In-hospital mortality occurred in 4% (n=3) of patients. Tent fire burns are severe enough to require inpatient and ICU level of care. A high proportion of injuries involved the extremities and pose significant barriers to functional recovery in this vulnerable population. Strategies to prevent these injuries are paramount.