Site investigation on medical waste management practices in northern Jordan

This study investigated the medical waste management practices used by hospitals in northern Jordan. A comprehensive inspection survey was conducted for all 21 hospitals located in the study area. Field visits were conducted to provide information on the different medical waste management aspects. The results reported here focus on the level of medical waste segregation, treatment and disposal options practiced in the study area hospitals. The total number of beds in the hospitals was 2296, and the anticipated quantity of medical waste generated by these hospitals was about 1400 kg/day. The most frequently used treatment practice for solid medical waste was incineration. Of these hospitals, only 48% had incinerators, and none of these incinerators met the Ministry of Health (MoH) regulations. As for the liquid medical waste, the survey results indicated that 57% of surveyed hospitals were discharging it into the municipal sewer system, while the remaining hospitals were collecting their liquid waste in septic tanks. The results indicated that the medical waste generation rate ranges from approximately 0.5 to 2.2 kg/bed day, which is comprised of 90% of infectious waste and 10% sharps. The results also showed that segregation of various medical waste types in the hospitals has not been conducted properly. The study revealed the need for training and capacity building programs of all employees involved in the medical waste management.     

Pharmacological and ameliorative effects of Withania somnifera against cadmium chloride–induced oxidative stress and immune suppression in Nile tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of aqueous extract of Withania somnifera (W. somnifera) against cadmium chloride–induced toxicity in the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Five experimental groups were designed: group (I) was free from cadmium chloride and W. somnifera and served as a control, group (II) was exposed to 1.775 mg L^?1 of cadmium chloride only (which is equivalent to 1/4 96-h LC50), while groups (III), (IV), and (V) were exposed to 1.775 mg cadmium chloride L^?1 with co-supplementation of dietary W. somnifera in doses of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mL kg^?1 body weight (bwt), respectively. The experiment lasted for 4 weeks. In the second and fourth weeks of the experiment, the following indicators were evaluated: hematological (hemogram and blood protein profile), biochemical (activities of serum liver enzymes, namely alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST)), immunological (immunoglobulin M (IgM), serum lysozyme), and tissue antioxidant changes (malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)). Additionally, gene expressions of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in the liver were assessed. At the end of the experiment, all fish in all groups were experimentally challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila and the relative protection survival (RPS) was demonstrated. The results revealed that groups exposed to cadmium chloride toxicity and co-supplemented with dietary aqueous extract of W. somnifera at high doses showed significant ameliorative effects in hemogram parameters, total protein, globulin, IgM, and lysozyme against cadmium chloride–induced toxicity compared to the control group and the group exposed to a sublethal dose of cadmium chloride without co-suplemntation of W. somnifera. The results showed also that groups supplemented orally with W. somnifera at high doses have higher antioxidant activities of CAT and SOD and reduction of MDA formation. Levels of gene expressions of GST in the liver were higher in W. somnifera extract-supplemented groups more than those in the group exposed to cadmium chloride–induced toxicity without W. somnifera supplementation. In addition, the results revealed improved RPS with the dietary supply of W. somnifera extract in high doses. In conclusion, this study showed that the dietary supplementation of W. somnifera extract to diets of O. niloticus could be suggested as an effective way to overcome cadmium chloride–induced toxicity because it improves blood parameters and antioxidants, and it can be used as an immunostimulant against the invading bacterial pathogens.

     

Fatal occupational injuries in Jordan during the period 1980 through 1993

All fatal occupational injuries compensated by the Social Security Corporation (SSC) in Jordan during the period 1980–1993 were studied. Variables considered in the analysis included gender, age, nationality, occupation, salary, cause of injury, body part injured and cause of death. The overall fatality rate, of the 705 cases reviewed, was 25.5/100,000/year. The majority (98%) of fatalities were males. The risk of fatal injuries increased with age. Workers over 55 years, had the highest annual fatality rate (37.8). Immigrant workers had a higher fatality rate (32.26) than Jordanians (23.95). Unskilled workers constituted 58.3% of decedents and professionals had the highest fatality rate (52.9). Transportation sector had the highest fatality rate (122.4) followed by construction (50.6). Over the study period, fatality rates tended to decrease significantly in manufacturing, construction and trade economic sectors while no such trend was established by transportation, agriculture and services sectors. The leading causes of fatal injuries were motor-vehicle related accidents (63.0%) and fall of persons (11.1%). Head was the body part most injured and was involved in 46.6% of all deaths. Haemorrhage was the main reported cause of death (24.5%). It is concluded that intervention measures targeting specific occupations (transportation and construction) and causes of fatalities such as motor-vehicle incidents are needed.