The most common causes of chemical food poisonings in humans.

The aim of the paper was to characterize the chemical factors and their sources which are the most common causes of food poisonings in humans.

Food pathogens as the most common cause of bacterial food poisoning.

The aim of the paper was to characterize the food borne microorganisms, which are the most common causes of bacterial food poisonings in humans. Furthermore, the dietary recommendations in acute gastro-intestinal disorders were presented.

The incidence rate of chemical food poisonings in the Lublin province between 1976 and 1998.

The aim of the study was to analyse the chemical poisonings in the Lublin province in the years 1976-1998. The analysis was based on the archive materials obtained from the Regional Unit for Control of Epidemics and Hygiene Promotion in Lublin. The findings demonstrate that chemical poisonings in the Lublin province compared to the whole country are a relevant epidemiological problem and that their most common causes include the consumption of toxic alcohols--mainly ethanol or other chemical substances and ethanol overdosage. Moreover, the health education system of the society should be systematically improved.

The incidence rate of bacterial food poisonings in the Lublin province in the years 1976-1998.

The aim of the paper was to analyse the bacterial poisonings in the Lublin province in the years 1976-1998. The analysis was based on the archive materials of the Regional Unit for Control of Epidemics and Hygiene Promotion in Lublin. To illustrate the discussed issues the exemplifying bacterial food poisonings in closed mass nutrition institutions in 1990 were examined. The studies revealed that the bacterial food poisonings were most frequently caused by Salmonella enteritidis and one of the basic carriers was the food prepared from animal-derived materials. The incidence of Salmonella infections is constantly growing while that of Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium botulinum infections is decreasing. In 1990 closed mass nutrition institutions in which the poisonings occurred had positive pre-infection sanitary scores, according to the hygiene classification sheet, which suggests that their staff followed the sanitary and hygienic regulations on an irregular basis.

Oxidative metabolism of neutrophils in patients with initial "outside-hospital" pneumonia.

The aim of the study was to assess the oxidative metabolism of the unstimulated and zymosan-stimulated neutrophils expressed as the production of superoxide anion radicals, and to determine the plasma O2 levels in the patients with initial "outside-hospital" pneumonia. The study included 20 patients with the initial symptoms of "outside-hospital" pneumonia. The plasma erythrocytes and leukocytes were isolated from the basilic vein blood collected in fasting state, and the preparation containing over 99% of neutrophils was prepared. The amount of superoxide anion radicals produced by neutrophils and their plasma levels were determined using the method of cytochrome reduction--c 5x10(-5) M/l. The patients with initial pneumonia show increased oxidative metabolism demonstrated by higher production of superoxide anion radicals by neutrophils and by elevated plasma O2 levels. Determinations of the plasma superoxide anion radical levels in pneumonia patients may be a practical and easily accessible indicator of the activation of neutrophil oxidative metabolism.

Evaluation of platelet activation, plasma antithrombin III and alpha2-antiplasmin activities in hypertensive patients.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the degree of platelet activation and plasma antithrombin III and alpha2-antiplasmin activities in hypertensive patients. The studied group consisted of 21 patients with hypertension. The control group included 19 healthy volunteers. The values of platelet and plasma coagulation factors were determined using the synthetic chromogenic substrates and the spectrophotometric method. Compared to the healthy individuals, the hypertensive patients show increased platelet activity confirmed by a statistically significant increase in the platelet factor 3 activity, which is likely to intensify the plasma proaggregation and procoagulation activities. In the hypertensive patients, a significant decrease in antithrombin III (the endogenous inhibitor of the coagulation system) concentration is observed. In arterial hypertension, a significant decrease in alpha2-antiplasmin activity is found, which may reflect decreased fibrinolytic activity of plasma in the hypertensive patients.