Background: An outbreak of serogroup C meningococcal disease (MD) that involved employees from an oil refinery occurred in Paulínia, from March to June 2010, and spread to the community of Cosmópolis, both situated in São Paulo State, Brazil. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological and laboratory aspects, and the control measures that were implemented.
Methods: Descriptive and molecular epidemiological analysis was used to define the extent of the outbreak and the common risk factors among outbreak related cases. Vaccination initiative targeted the employees from the oil refinery and the community-based individuals.
Results: A total of six outbreak-related cases of MD in the oil refinery and 12 cases in the city of Cosmópolis, São Paulo State occurred in a three-month period. All 18 MD cases were confirmed as serogroup C either by culture, real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), or counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE). The meningococcal isolates (n=15) had the phenotype C:23:P1.14-6 and showed close genetic relationship by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) characterization showed that the clones were ST 3780, ST-103 complex. The isolates were susceptible to the antibiotics tested. Vaccination was administered to 15,848 persons at the oil refinery and 18,571 persons of the community.
Conclusions: The molecular characterization of the Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis) strains, and the efficient investigation and the prompt measures implemented were essential for controlling the disease in the region.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eimc.2012.05.009 | DOI Listing |
Environ Pollut
January 2025
Testing Center for Oil and Gas LEMIGAS, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jakarta Selatan 12230 Indonesia.
Indonesia currently calculates CO emissions from gas fuels using Tier 1 emission factors adopted from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). However, this method may not accurately capture the country's specific emission characteristics. To address this, this study aims to derive country-specific CO emission factors for gas fuels, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), liquefied gas for vehicles (LGV), natural gas (NG), and liquefied natural gas (LNG), by analyzing fuel samples collected nationwide.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolymers (Basel)
January 2025
Faculty of Science and Industrial Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Surat Thani Campus, Surat Thani 84000, Thailand.
This research examines the possibility of palm oil and oil palm trunk biochar (OPTB) from pyrolysis effectively serving as alternative processing oils and fillers, substituting petroleum-based counterparts in natural rubber (NR) composites. Chemical, elemental, surface and morphological analyses were used to characterize both carbon black (CB) and OPTB, by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) gas porosimetry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The influences of OPTB contents from 0 to 100 parts per hundred rubber (phr) on thermal, dielectric, dynamic mechanical, and cure characteristics, and the key mechanical properties of particulate NR-composites were investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMaterials (Basel)
January 2025
Department of Petroleum and Energy Engineering, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt.
As hydraulic fracturing becomes increasingly prevalent in the oil and gas industry, there is a growing need to develop more cost-effective and sustainable technologies, particularly concerning the materials used. Proppants play a vital role in hydraulic fracturing by ensuring that fractures remain conductive and can withstand the pressure exerted by the surrounding strata. One key parameter for evaluating proppants is their compressive strength, especially under harsh environmental conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
January 2025
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
The rapid growth of unconventional natural gas development (UNGD), also known as hydraulic fracturing, has raised concerns of potential exposures to hazardous chemicals. Few studies have examined the risk of childhood cancer from exposure to UNGD. A case-control study included 498 children diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, central nervous system neoplasms, and malignant bone tumors during the period 2010-2019 identified through the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntioxidants (Basel)
December 2024
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Beibei District, Chongqing 400715, China.
Citrus peel essential oils (CPEOs) have demonstrated substantial medicinal potential for glioblastoma treatment because of their extensive antitumor effects, low potential for drug resistance, and ability to cross the human blood-brain barrier. In this study, the chemical compositions of five CPEOs were analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). CCK8 assays were used to evaluate the ability of five CPEOs to inhibit U251 human glioblastoma cells, and XLB and RA were selected for further investigation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!