Pollen exposures in pregnancy and early life are associated with childhood asthma incidence.

Background: Pollen exposure is an environmental risk factor for asthma symptoms and allergic reactions in children. The extent to which pollen exposure in pregnancy and the first year of life influences the development of childhood asthma and rhinitis is not fully understood.

Objective: We aimed to investigate early life exposures to pollen with childhood asthma and rhinitis at age 6 in a longitudinal birth cohort of the United Kingdom.

Microcystin Contamination and Toxicity: Implications for Agriculture and Public Health.

Microcystins are natural hepatotoxic metabolites secreted by cyanobacteria in aquatic ecosystems. When present at elevated concentrations, microcystins can affect water quality aesthetics; contaminate drinking water reservoirs and recreational waters; disrupt normal ecosystem functioning; and cause health hazards to animals, plants, and humans. Animal and human exposures to microcystins generally result from ingesting contaminated drinking water or physically contacting tainted water.

Environmental Risk Factors Implicated in Liver Disease: A Mini-Review.

Liver disease is a global health issue, resulting in about two million deaths per year. It encompasses a wide spectrum of varied or unknown etiologies, ranging from lifestyle choices to pre-existing comorbidities. In recent decades, exposure to environmental toxins and subsequent liver health outcomes have captured public interest, due to the extensive application of pesticides, consumption of aflatoxin contaminated foodstuff, and cyanobacterial harmful algae blooms in endemic regions of liver disease.