Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Chronic Bronchitis Among Predominantly Smoking Workers in the Seafood Industry in Greenland.

Introduction: For decades, the prevalence of smoking has been high in Greenland. Even so, the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a smoking-related disease, remains largely unexplored. This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of COPD and chronic bronchitis (CB) among Inuit workers in the seafood industry in Greenland. Methods: A total of 355 participants, 254 males and 101 females, met the inclusion criteria. Participants had a mean age of 38 years (standard deviation 13.5; range 17-68 years). COPD was diagnosed based on post-bronchodilator ratio between forced expiratory volume within one second and forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) below the lower limit of normal (LLN) according to the Global Lung Function Initiative. Participants completed a questionnaire aiming to diagnose CB. Results: The overall prevalence was 9.9% for COPD; 7.4% for CB. Participants were predominantly smokers; 73.2% active smokers, 91.8% active or former smokers. The prevalence of COPD was high, especially among those under 40 years of age. Both COPD and CB were associated with smoking status. Discussion: This study among Greenlandic seafood workers found that smoking was a risk factor for COPD and CB among Greenlanders of Inuit origin. The high prevalence of COPD and the high prevalence of smoking underlines the importance of further initiatives to reduce smoking in Greenland.

Ciguatera poisoning and confirmation of ciguatoxins in fish imported into New Zealand.

Ciguatera poisoning has caused illnesses in New Zealand through the consumption of contaminated reef fish imported from Pacific Islands. In May 2020 five people became ill and one was hospitalised following the consumption of Fiji Kawakawa (camouflage grouper; Epinephelus polyphekadion). The fish was purchased in New Zealand but imported from Fiji. The meal remnants were analysed for ciguatoxins, the causative compounds of ciguatera poisoning, and showed the presence of the three main toxic fish metabolites. Other fish tested from the same shipment did not contain detectable levels of ciguatoxins, indicating they were likely not toxic.

Seafood Intake as a Method of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Prevention in Adults.

Seafood (fish in particular) is one of the main food groups in nutrition models with proven health benefits. Seafood has long been considered a very valuable dietary component, mainly due to presence of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) but it is also an important source of protein (including collagen), anserine, taurine, iodine, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin D, tocopherols, B vitamins and astaxanthin. Considering the beneficial effects of these ingredients on blood pressure, lipid profile and the inflammatory process, seafood should be an essential component of the diet. Non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and mental disorder, chronic respiratory diseases are common diseases associated with advanced age. Promotion of a healthy lifestyle (including proper nutritional behavior) and prevention of diseases are the most effective and efficient ways to decrease premature mortality from NCD and to maintain mental health and well-being. This review article shows the potential preventive and therapeutic effects of seafood with an emphasis on fish. Our narrative review presents the results of systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

Trace metals contamination potential and health risk assessment of commonly consumed fish of Perak River, Malaysia.

The rapid growth of industrial and agricultural activities in Malaysia are leading to the impairment of most of the rivers in recent years through realising various trace metals. This leads to toxicity, particularly when the toxic has entered the food chain. Perak River is one of the most dynamic rivers for the Malaysian population. Therefore, in consideration of the safety issue, this study was conducted to assess the concentration of such metals (Cd, Cu, Zn, Fe, and Pb) in the muscles of most widely consumed fish species (Barbonymus schwanenfeldii, Puntius bulum, Puntius daruphani, Hexanematichthys sagor, Channa striatus, Mystacoleucus marginatus, and Devario regina) from different locations of Perak River, Malaysia by employing inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Among the trace metals, Fe and Cd were found to be the highest (29.33-148.01 µg/g) and lowest (0.16-0.49 µg/g) concentration in all of the studied species, respectively. Although the estimated daily intakes (µg/kg/day) of Cd (0.65-0.85), Fe (79.27-352.00) and Pb (0.95-12.17) were higher than their reference, the total target hazard quotients values suggested that the local residents would not experience any adverse health effects from its consumption. In contrast, the target cancer risk value suggested that all fish species posed a potential cancer risk due to Cd and cumulative cancer risk values, strongly implying that continuous consumption of studied fish species would cause cancer development to its consumers.

Multiple metal(loid)s bioaccessibility from cooked seafood and health risk assessment.

Seafood has been generally considered to be the main diet exposure source of metal(loid)s. We evaluated health risk of mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) through consumption of cooked seafood based on bioaccessibility, which was obtained by physiologically based extraction test method. Results showed that cooking practices could decrease metal(loid)s concentration from seafood (by 6.0-45.7%). Metal(loid)s release from seafood in this study followed the descending order of Hg > Zn > Ni > Cd > Pb > As > Cu > Cr. On average, cooking lowered the bioaccessibility of As, Hg, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, and Zn by 15.2, 26.1, 30.9, 30.7, 25.7, 31.2, 17.6, and 22.4%, respectively. Health risk calculation results showed that Cr, Ni, and Zn in seafood species in this study were within the human health benefits range. Hg, Cd, Pb, and Cu exposure from cooked seafood was within the safe dose. However, we found that there is a potential of having cancer (especially bladder and lung cancer) for people exposure to iAs from seafood based on bioaccessible contents the first time.

"Don't Blast": blast-in-place (BiP) operations of dumped World War munitions in the oceans significantly increase hazards to the environment and the human seafood consumer.

The seas worldwide are threatened by a "new" source of pollution: millions of tons of all kind of warfare material have been dumped intentionally after World War I and II, in addition to mine barriers, failed detonations as well as shot down military planes and sunken ship wrecks carrying munitions. For example, in the German parts of the North and Baltic Sea approximately 1.6 million metric tons of toxic conventional explosives (TNT and others) and more than 5000 metric tons of chemical weapons are present. Such unexploded ordnance (UXO) constitutes a direct risk of detonation with increased human access (fisheries, water sports, cable constructions, wind farms and pipelines). Moreover, after more than 70 years of resting on the seabed, the metal shells of these munitions items corrode, such that chemicals leak out and distribute in the marine environment. Explosive chemicals such as TNT and its derivatives are known for their toxicity and carcinogenicity. In order not to endanger today's shipping traffic or the installation of pipelines and offshore plants by uncontrolled explosions, controlled blast-in-place (BiP) operations of these dangerous relics is a common practice worldwide. However, blast-in-place methods of in situ munitions disposal often result in incomplete (low-order) detonation, leaving substantial quantities of the explosive material in the environment. In the present free field investigation, we placed mussels (Mytilus spp.) as a biomonitoring system in an area of the Baltic Sea where BiP operations took place and where, by visual inspections by scientific divers, smaller and larger pieces of munitions-related materials were scattered on the seafloor. After recovery, the mussels were transferred to our laboratory and analyzed for TNT and its derivatives via gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Our data unequivocally demonstrate that low-order BiP operations of dumped munitions in the sea lead to multiple increases in the concentration of TNT and its metabolites in the mussels when compared to similar studies at corroding but still encased mines. For this reason, we explicitly criticize BiP operations because of the resulting environmental hazards, which can ultimately even endanger human seafood consumers.

Ingested a fish bone-induced ileal perforation: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Gastrointestinal perforation due to foreign body intake is rare and often secondary to unintentional intake; hence, a misdiagnosis is likely. Herein, we report a case of perforation of the ileum due to fish bone. CASE PRESENTATION: A 57-year-old woman presented with right lower abdominal pain. She did not provide any information about having a history of swallowing foreign bodies. Surgery for uterine fibroids and subtotal gastrectomy was performed 6 years ago. DIAGNOSIS: Laboratory tests and imaging examination showed normal results. During laparotomy, a fish bone was found at the end of the ileum. Two senior radiologists re-evaluated the computed tomography scan, and confirmed the presence of the suspected foreign body. INTERVENTIONS: Partial intestinal resection and manual ileum end anastomosis were performed. OUTCOMES: The patient recovered well after surgery and recalled that she had eaten fish the night before experiencing abdominal pain. CONCLUSION: An accurate diagnosis of complications due to fish bone intake, often secondary to the unintentional intake, is quite challenging. Detailed history-taking about the patient's diet and eating habits is therefore important. Clinical manifestations are mainly determined by the location of perforation, which typically occurs at the junction of the ileum and rectal sigmoid colon. Imaging examination and surgery are often used for definite diagnosis.

Dietary mercury intake and colorectal cancer risk: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The main source of mercury exposure is food such as fish and shellfish. Mercury is a growing concern due to its associations with a number of harmful health effects, including cancer. The objectives of this study were to examine the association between dietary mercury intake and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk and to determine whether this association differs by anatomical site and menopausal status. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted with 2769 participants (923 cases and 1846 controls) in Korea. Dietary mercury intake and fish and shellfish consumption were assessed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: A high intake of dietary mercury was associated with an increased risk of CRC (in the group with lower fish and shellfish consumption; odds ratio (OR): 3.13; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 2.33, 4.71, in the group with higher fish and shellfish intake; OR: 3.84, 95% CI: 2.20, 7.30) after adjusting for all potential confounders by anatomic site in men. Among women, the results differed by fish and shellfish consumption and menopausal status. Regarding the amount of fish and shellfish intake, a positive association was found only in the group with lower intake (CRC; OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.36, 3.72, colon cancer; OR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.22, 4.16, rectal cancer; OR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.13, 4.57). In the stratified analysis by menopausal status, the elevated risk of CRC was still observed among both pre- and postmenopausal women depending on anatomical site, except for the colon cancer patients with premenopausal status. CONCLUSIONS: A high intake of mercury was associated with an elevated risk of overall CRC. Future large-scale prospective cohort studies are recommended to investigate the causal effects of dietary mercury intake by fish and shellfish consumption on CRC risk depending on anatomical site and menopausal status.

A Case Report of Adhesional Small Bowel Obstruction Caused by Extraintestinal Anisakiasis.

BACKGROUND: Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common diagnosis made in the emergency department (ED). We present a case with an unusual underlying cause of SBO: extraintestinal infection with an Anisakis roundworm. CASE REPORT: A healthy young woman with no prior abdominal surgery presented with epigastric abdominal pain, nausea, and anorexia 1 day after eating a raw oyster. Laboratory studies were significant for 14% eosinophilia. Initial abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed small bowel inflammation and small-volume ascites. After discharge home, she returned on day 14 of illness with a closed-loop SBO, to which she was predisposed by an adhesion formed in association with an eosinophilic abscess containing an Anisakis roundworm. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Anisakiasis is an uncommon cause of common symptoms with which patients may present to EDs. The diagnosis should be considered in patients presenting with abdominal pain and recent ingestion of raw seafood, with suspicion raised further by the presence of focal gastric or small bowel inflammation and ascites on abdominal CT. Extraintestinal anisakiasis can cause inflammation leading to intraabdominal adhesions, a sequela of which is small bowel obstruction. If suspicion for gastric or intestinal anisakiasis is high, treatment with endoscopic removal or albendazole may be initiated.

An Unexpected Case of Perforated Acalculous Cholecystitis Caused by a Fish Bone.

Gallbladder inflammation is most often determined by the presence of gallstones. Acalculous cholecystitis usually occurs in patients with multiple comorbidities or with an immunosuppressed status, and therefore its evolution is faster and more severe compared to acute calculous cholecystitis. The presence of a fish bone into the peritoneal cavity, through a gastrointestinal fistula is not very rare, but acute cholecystitis caused by a fish bone is unexpected. Here, we present the case of a 75-year old woman who had eaten fish two months before and presented at the Emergency Room with perforated acalculous cholecystitis and a right subphrenic abscess. The laparoscopic approach permitted the evacuation of the subphrenic abscess, bipolar cholecystectomy and removal of a fish bone from nearby the cystic duct. Postoperative evolution was uneventful, with hospital discharge after five days. The patient was in good clinical condition at two months follow-up.

Dietary risk factors for inflammatory bowel diseases in a high-risk population: Results from the Faroese IBD study.

Background: The Faroe Islands currently have the highest recorded inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) incidence in the world. Objective: This study investigated environmental risk factors for IBD in the Faroese population. Methods: Environmental exposure data including lifestyle risk factors and neurotoxicants collected for over 30 years were retrieved from the Children's Health and the Environment in the Faroes (CHEF) cohorts including mainly mother-child pairs, with exposure data collected from pregnant mothers. For lifestyle risk factors, the incidence of IBD and ulcerative colitis (UC) was calculated as the rate ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) in exposed versus non-exposed persons. For neurotoxicants RR was calculated for persons with high versus low exposure. Results: Six cohorts included 5698 persons with complete follow-up data and at least one exposure, and 37 were diagnosed with IBD. For pilot whale/blubber, the RR was 1.02 (95% CI, 0.48-2.18); RR of 1.01 for fish (95% CI, 0.35-2.91); and of the pollutants studied, a statistical significantly increased risk was found for 1,1,1,-trichloro-2,2-bis-(p-chlorophenyl) ethane (p,p'-DDT); RR 3.04 (95% CI, 1.12-8.30). RRs were 1.96 (95% CI, 1.03-3.73) for smoking and 1.10 (95% CI, 0.55-2.19) for alcohol intake. Conclusion: The high IBD incidence is unlikely to be caused by special dietary habits or by environmental pollutants.

A fish bone induced aortic arch pseudoaneurysm in a male patient: A case report.

RATIONALE: Esophageal foreign body is a commonly seen in China. However, pseudoaneurysm of the aortic arch caused by ingestion of fish bones is a rare, life-threatening condition. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 71-year-old male was admitted to the Ear, Nose, and Throat department with a 4-day history of chest pain after eating fish. DIAGNOSES: After taking out the fish bone by rigid endoscopy, magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography angiography (CTA) scans revealed the presence of an aortic arch pseudoaneurysm, which was likely caused by the fish bone. INTERVENTIONS: A successful endovascular graft exclusion surgery was performed to block the aorta ulcer. OUTCOMES: The patient recovered and was discharged 20 days after hospitalization. The patient was healthy and had no fever or chest pain 4 months after discharge from the hospital. LESSONS: Esophageal foreign bodies may lead to life-threatening impairment of the aorta or other big arteries. When esophageal foreign bodies puncture the esophageal wall, especially in the second stenosis of the esophagus, an enhanced-contrast computed tomography scan or a CTA scan may be necessary to exclude any potential impairment of the arteries.

Consumption of Meat, Fish, Dairy Products, and Eggs and Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease.

BACKGROUND: There is uncertainty about the relevance of animal foods to the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease (IHD). We examined meat, fish, dairy products, and eggs and risk for IHD in the pan-European EPIC cohort (European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition). METHODS: In this prospective study of 409 885 men and women in 9 European countries, diet was assessed with validated questionnaires and calibrated with 24-hour recalls. Lipids and blood pressure were measured in a subsample. During a mean of 12.6 years of follow-up, 7198 participants had a myocardial infarction or died of IHD. The relationships of animal foods with risk were examined with Cox regression with adjustment for other animal foods and relevant covariates. RESULTS: The hazard ratio (HR) for IHD was 1.19 (95% CI, 1.06-1.33) for a 100-g/d increment in intake of red and processed meat, and this remained significant after exclusion of the first 4 years of follow-up (HR, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.09-1.42]). Risk was inversely associated with intakes of yogurt (HR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.89-0.98] per 100-g/d increment), cheese (HR, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.86-0.98] per 30-g/d increment), and eggs (HR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.88-0.99] per 20-g/d increment); the associations with yogurt and eggs were attenuated and nonsignificant after exclusion of the first 4 years of follow-up. Risk was not significantly associated with intakes of poultry, fish, or milk. In analyses modeling dietary substitutions, replacement of 100 kcal/d from red and processed meat with 100 kcal/d from fatty fish, yogurt, cheese, or eggs was associated with ≈20% lower risk of IHD. Consumption of red and processed meat was positively associated with serum non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration and systolic blood pressure, and consumption of cheese was inversely associated with serum non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: Risk for IHD was positively associated with consumption of red and processed meat and inversely associated with consumption of yogurt, cheese, and eggs, although the associations with yogurt and eggs may be influenced by reverse causation bias. It is not clear whether the associations with red and processed meat and cheese reflect causality, but they were consistent with the associations of these foods with plasma non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and for red and processed meat with systolic blood pressure, which could mediate such effects.

Ileal perforation caused by a fish bone shortly after drug-eluting stent implantation for acute myocardial infarction.

During the past century, the incidence of myocardial infarction has markedly increased worldwide. Percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation is often considered as the first-choice treatment, especially in emergency cases. Current guidelines recommend delayed elective noncardiac surgery for such vulnerable patients. However, few suggestions are available regarding the exact treatment strategy for patients who have already undergone percutaneous coronary intervention but suddenly need emergent noncardiac surgery for an unrelated reason. We herein present a case involving a patient with acute myocardial infarction who had undergone implantation of a drug-eluting stent and developed an ileal perforation due to fish bone ingestion 3 days postoperatively. After carefully balancing the risks of stent thrombosis and uncontrollable bleeding, dual antiplatelet therapy and low-molecular-weight heparin were given with close monitoring. Emergency laparotomy and partial small bowel resection surgery were then performed, after which the patient eventually recovered. This case indicates a possible management strategy for patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by emergency noncardiac surgery.

Stable consumption of swordfish favors, whereas stable consumption of oily fish protects from, development of postpartum thyroiditis.

PURPOSE: In 236 pregnant women, we showed that selective or predominant consumption of swordfish (group A) was associated with high rates of positivity for serum thyroid autoantibodies (TPOAb and TgAb) throughout day 4 postpartum. In contrast, selective or predominant consumption of oily fish (group B) was associated with TPOAb and TgAb negativity. Rates were intermediate in group C (scanty consumption of swordfish) and group D (consumption of fish other than swordfish and oily fish). Gestational TPOAb positivity is a risk factor for postpartum thyroiditis (PPT), which evolves into permanent hypothyroidism (PH) in about 50% of cases. Purpose of this study was to verify that the different rates of thyroid autoantibodies in the four groups translated into different PPT rates. METHODS: We expanded our previous cohort (n = 412) and duration of follow-up (month 12 postpartum), and measured frequency of PPT and PH. RESULTS: At first timester of gestation, we confirmed the different Ab positivity rates in group A vs. group B (TPOAb = 21.7% vs. 4.7%, P < 0.0001; TgAb = 14.1% vs. 2.4%, P < 0.05). Overall, PPT prevalence was 63/412 (15.3%), but 22/92 in group A (23.9%), 4/85 in group B (4.7%; P < 0.0001 vs. group A), 17/108 (15.7%) in group C, and 16/117 (13.7%) in group D. Approximately half of the PPT women had PH, regardless of fish group. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, stable consumption of oily fish (which is enriched in polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids) protects from PPT, while stable consumption of swordfish (which is enriched in pollutants) favors PPT. Thus, a dietary prophylaxis of PPT is possible.