[Toxic liver injuries--a current view on pathogenesis. Part I]. / Toksyczne uszkodzenie watroby--wspólczesny poglad na etiopatogeneze. Czesc I.

Toxic liver injury poses an important heath problem in occupational medicine. Toxic response of this organ may arise from acute or chronic exposure to different substances. The final toxicological response to different toxicants may be defined as the regeneration of cells, loss of their function or necrosis. The morphology of toxic drug- or chemical-induced liver injury usuall differentiates into one of the following phenotypes: cholestatic injury, hepato- cellular injury, often associated with elevated l enzymes, mitochondrial injuries and delayed immunological injury. In this article, the authors present current knowledge of the pathogenesis of morphological changes in hepatocytes as the result of exposure to xenobiotics.

[Toxic liver injuries--a current view on pathogenesis. Part II]. / Toksyczne uszkodzenie watroby--wspólczesny poglad na etiopatogeneze. Czesc II.

Liver plays an important role in biological detoxication of xenobiotics. During this process, one can observe the inactivation and successful elimination of metabolites and toxic substances. The metabolic reactions responsible for detoxications include phases I and II. The phase I reactions increase polarity of xenobiotics through inserting new functional groups to xenobiotic molecules, while during phase II conjugation to endogenous hydrophilic molecules results in potent increase in polarity and water solubility. Phase III involves the transport process mediated by transmembranous transporter proteins, which remove a large number of xenobiotics from blood into liver. Oxidative stress and oxidation of lipids may lead to liver injury. Functional impairment of mitochondrial metabolism is associated with intensive production of reactive oxygen species. The underlying mechanisms during mitochondrial dysfunction may lead to cellular necrosis and apoptosis.

[Health hazards associated with occupational exposure to birds]. / Zagrozenia zdrowotne zwiazane z zawodowa ekspozycja na ptaki.

The occupational group particularly exposed to contact with birds are zoo keepers, animal shop workers, individual bird's keepers and food industry workers. Work associated with contact with birds may contribute to the development of different symptoms and diseases, including allergic and contagious ones. This paper reviews the most common allergens occurring in the environment of bird's keepers, namely: feathers, egg proteins, allergens of plant origin, acarinae, allergens from latex and disinfectants. The most common health effects associated with occupational exposure to birds are also presented. Taking account of not fully understood pathogenesis of allergy to these allergens, complexity of occupational exposure and a possible coincidence of non-specific irritant effects of factors present in work environment, the diagnostic and certification procedures for occupational allergic diseases require highly specialized investigations. Objective and subjective medical examinations, taken medical history and physical examination also play a significant role in diagnostics of contagious diseases, whereas different laboratory tests are used in searching for their etiologic factors. The prevention of diseases associated with occupational exposure to birds comprises educational work, technical actions (hygiene prophylaxis) and medical prophylaxis.