Health screening for occupational dermatoses in house painters

During 1976-77 a field investigation was carried out into skin diseases among house painters in Stockholm, Sweden. The study was divided into three stages: I. questionnaires investigation, II. examination of painters who reported skin diseases, and III. patch testing and final classification. Of the 2,622 painters registered on 30 November 1976, 2239 (85.4%) answered the questionnaire. Current dermatoses were reported by 373 painters (16.7%) and of these, 227 were examined by us, 40 had recently been examined, and 106 did not attend. Occupational contact eczemas were diagnosed in 87 cases, and it was doubtful if the dermatoses were occupational in an additional 56 cases. A prevalence of 3.9% was suggested, but this represents a minimum figure. Chloracetamide was found to be an important cause of occupational contact eczema. A personal and/or family history of atopy was common among the affected painters. Solvents were widely used for skin cleansing; there is a great need for continuous information on protective measurements, and on skin cleansing and care. It is concluded that field investigation give higher and probably more reliable prevalence figures for occupational dermatoses than data compiled from outpatient clinics.     

The biobank of the Norwegian mother and child cohort Study: A resource for the next 100 years

Introduction Long-term storage of biological materials is a critical component of any epidemiological study. In designing specimen repositories, efforts need to balance future needs for samples with logistical constraints necessary to process and store samples in a timely fashion.Objectives In the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), the Biobank was charged with long-term storage of more than 380,000 biological samples from pregnant women, their partners and their children for up to 100 years.Methods Biological specimens include whole blood, plasma, DNA and urine; samples are collected at 50 hospitals in Norway. All samples are sent via ordinary mail to the Biobank in Oslo where the samples are registered, aliquoted and DNA extracted. DNA is stored at −20 °C while whole blood, urine and plasma are stored at −80 °C.Results As of July 2006, over 227,000 sample sets have been collected, processed and stored at the Biobank. Currently 250–300 sets are received daily. An important part of the Biobank is the quality control program.Conclusion With the unique combination of biological specimens and questionnaire data, the MoBa Study will constitute a resource for many future investigations of the separate and combined effects of genetic, environmental factors on pregnancy outcome and on human morbidity, mortality and health in general.