9.

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Fact Sheet on Rodents: Rats and Mice

Authors: Laurene Hall

Rats and mice will inhabit a variety of places including woodpiles, bushes, tall grasses, and underground burrows. They often find shelter in buildings, cars, appliances, and furniture that has been put outside. They are most attracted to garbage cans with loose lids, birdseed, pet food in pet dishes, and fruits and berries on the ground. Furthermore, compost bins containing meat, fish, poultry, or dairy wastes are rat magnets. Do not put these items in your compost. Once inside your home, rats

11.

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American Lung Association – Carbon Monoxide Fact Sheet

Authors: American Lung Association

Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where hazardous air pollutants can exist at higher levels than outdoors. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with lung disease are particularly at high risk for adverse health effects caused by indoor air pollution, including carbon monoxide (CO). CO is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced as a result of incomplete burning of carbon containing fuels. Exposure to CO reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen.

12.

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American Lung Association – Carbon Monoxide Fact Sheet

Authors: American Lung Association

Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where hazardous air pollutants can exist at higher levels than outdoors. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with lung disease are particularly at high risk for adverse health effects caused by indoor air pollution, including carbon monoxide (CO). CO is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced as a result of incomplete burning of carbon containing fuels. Exposure to CO reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen.

38.

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National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing Final Report Volume I: Analysis of Lead Hazards

Authors: Robert P. Clickner, et al.

The National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing (referred to as the National Survey or NSLAH) was conducted under the sponsorship of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to assess children's potential household exposure to lead and allergens. The National Survey measured the levels of lead in dust, soil, and paint, the prevalence of hazardous levels of lead, and levels and patterns of various indoor aller

41.

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Third national report on human exposure to environmental chemicals

Authors: Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Using advanced laboratory science and innovative techniques, scientists in CDC’s Environmental Health Laboratory at the National Center of Environmental Health (NCEH) have helped change the face of environmental public health in this country. By recognizing chemicals that enter the body from environmental exposure, by responding to terrorism and public health emergencies involving chemicals, and by improving laboratory methods to measure chemical exposure, the laboratory has greatly enhanced th

47.

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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning OSHA Fact Sheet

Authors: U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration

What is carbon monoxide? Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous, colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. Although it has no detectable odor, CO is often mixed with other gases that do have an odor. So, you can inhale carbon monoxide right along with gases that you can smell and not even know that CO is present. CO is a common industrial hazard resulting from the incomplete burning of natural gas and any other material containing carbon such as gasoline, kerosene, oil, propane, coal, or wood. Forg

53.

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Basic facts about asthma

Authors: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and nighttime or early morning coughing. It is with you all the time, but you may have asthma attacks only when something bothers your lungs. We know that family history contributes to susceptibility, but in most cases we don’t know what causes asthma to develop, and we don’t know how to cure asthma. You can control your asthma by knowing the warning signs of an attack, avoiding things that trigger an attack, and following the advice of your

64.

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Home Is Where the Harm Is: Inadequate Housing as a Public Health Crisis

Authors: Samiya A. Bashir

For many breadwinners of low-income families, going home at the end of a long workday can be a challenge, but it is a challenge they look forward to from the moment they arrive at work. The battle might begin with stepping off site into a city block filled with diesel exhaust. Perhaps a hard worker straps into a car for a fight with congested traffic on the long commute home, constantly alert to each potential danger the modern roadways present. Or maybe this breadwinner walks through the exha

90.

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Epidemiology of asthma: the year in review

Authors: Tina V. Hartert and R. Stokes Peebles

Asthma is a worldwide problem, with more than 17 million persons in the United States estimated to have asthma, and there is evidence that the prevalence is increasing. This article reviews the latest epidemiologic evidence for an increase in asthma prevalence and morbidity, and the evidence that environment plays a significant role in this disease. This review focuses on five specific areas: prevalence, incidence, natural history, environmental factors, and morbidity and mortality. mortality.

112.

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Advances in childhood asthma: Hygiene hypothesis, natural history, and management

Authors: Andrew H. Liu and Stanley J. Szefler

There is significant interest in early identification and intervention in childhood asthma. Current asthma guidelines identify inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as the preferred initial longterm control therapy even in young children. ICS clearly improve asthma control in children with mild to moderate persistent asthma, but it is not clear that they can alter the natural history and progression of asthma. New insights regarding the origins of asthma and allergy and their natural history will cont

129.

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Asthma severity, atopic status, allergen exposure, and quality of life in elderly persons

Authors: K. Huss, et al.

Background: Although asthma can be associated with significant airflow obstruction in those over the age of 65, it is often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Objective: To describe severity of asthma, allergy skin test sensitivities, indoor allergen exposures, and the impact on quality of life (QOL) and health status in elderly persons with asthma. Methods: A cross-sectional data analysis with 80 elderly persons with asthma recruited from medical, geriatric, and allergy/immunology tertiary care

140.

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Housing and Health: Time Again for Public Health Action

Authors: James Krieger and Donna L. Higgins

Poor housing conditions are associated with a wide range of health conditions, including respiratory infections, asthma, lead poisoning, injuries, and mental health. Addressing housing issues offers public health practitioners an opportunity to address an important social determinant of health. Public health has long been involved in housing issues. In the 19th century, health officials targeted poor sanitation, crowding, and inadequate ventilation to reduce infectious diseases as well as fire

141.

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Painting a Truer Picture of US Socioeconomic and Racial/Ethnic Health Inequalities: The Public Health Disparities Geocoding Project

Authors: Nancy Krieger, Jarvis T. Chen, Pamela D. Waterman, David H. Rehkopf, and S.V. Subramanian

Objectives. We describe a method to facilitate routine monitoring of socioeconomic health disparities in the United States. Methods. We analyzed geocoded public health surveillance data including events from birth to death (c. 1990) linked to 1990 census tract (CT) poverty data for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Results. For virtually all outcomes, risk increased with CT poverty, and when we adjusted for CT poverty racial/ethnic disparities were substantially reduced. For half the outcomes,

145.

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Forecasted State-Specifc Estimates of Self-Reported Ashtma Prevalence--United States, 1998

Authors: Rappaport, S and Boodram, B

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs characterized by episodic and reversible symptoms of airflow obstruction (1). During 1993-1994, an estimated 13.7 million persons in the United States reported having asthma, and from 1980 to 1994 the prevalence of self-reported asthma in the United States increased 75% (2). Despite this increase, surveillance data are limited for asthma at the state and local levels (3). To estimate the 1998 prevalence rate of asthma for each state, CDC ana

146.

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Surveillance for Asthma -- United States, 1960-1995

Authors: David M. Mannino and David M. Homa

PROBLEM/CONDITION: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States, and it has increased in importance during the preceding 20 years. Despite its importance, no comprehensive surveillance system has been established that measures asthma trends at the state or local level. REPORTING PERIOD: This report summarizes and reviews national data for specific end-points: self-reported asthma prevalence (1980-1994), asthma office visits (1975-1995), asthma emergency room visits (199

149.

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Environmental factors associated with a spectrum of neurodevelopmental deficits

Authors: Pauline Mendola, Sherry G. Selevan, Suzanne Gutter, and Deborah Rice

A number of environmental agents have been shown to demonstrate neurotoxic effects either in human or laboratory animal studies. Critical windows of vulnerability to the effects of these agents occur both preand postnatally. The nervous system is relatively unique in that different parts are responsible for different functional domains, and these develop at different times (e.g., motor control, sensory, intelligence and attention). In addition, the many cell types in the brain have different

158.

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Does a higher number of siblings protect against the development of allergy and asthma? A review

Authors: W Karmaus and C Botezan

Study objective: To review the “protective” effects of having a higher number of siblings for the risk of atopic eczema, asthma wheezing, hay fever, and allergic sensitisation. Method: Review of the literature (Medline since 1965 and references). Main results: 53 different studies were identified. For eczema, 9 of 11 studies reported an inverse relation with number of siblings; for asthma and wheezing, 21 of 31 reported the inverse association; for hay fever, all 17 studies showed the effect;

180.

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Critical Periods of Vulnerability for the Developing Nervous System: Evidence from Humans and Animal Models

Authors: Deborah Rice and Stan Barone Jr.

Vulnerable periods during the development of the nervous system are sensitive to environmental insults because they are dependent on the temporal and regional emergence of critical developmental processes (i.e., proliferation, migration, differentiation, synaptogenesis, myelination, and apoptosis). Evidence from numerous sources demonstrates that neural development extends from the embryonic period through adolescence. In general, the sequence of events is comparable among species, although th

183.

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Chemicals in the Environment and Developmental Toxicity to Children: A Public Health: A Public Health and Policy Perspective

Authors: Lynn R. Goldman and Sudha Koduru

There are numerous pesticides and toxic chemicals in the environment that have yet to be evaluated for potential to cause developmental neurotoxicity. Recent legislation and testing initiatives provide an impetus to generating more information about potential hazards to children. In the United States, the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) required the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to make a finding that a pesticide food use is safe for children. In addition, the law requ

185.

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Children’s Exposure Assessment: A Review of Factors Influencing Children’s Exposure, and the Data Available to Characterize and Assess That Exposure

Authors: Elaine A. Cohen Hubal, et al.

We review the factors influencing children’s exposure to environmental contaminants and the data available to characterize and assess that exposure. Children’s activity pattern data requirements are demonstrated in the context of the algorithms used to estimate exposure by inhalation, dermal contact, and ingestion. Currently, data on children’s exposures and activities are insufficient to adequately assess multimedia exposures to environmental contaminants. As a result, regulators use a series

188.

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Characterizing Exposures to Nonpersistent Pesticides during Pregnancy and Early Childhood in the National Children’s Study: A Review of Monitoring and Measurement Methodologies

Authors: Asa Bradman and Robin M. Whyatt

The National Children’s Study is a proposed longitudinal cohort study to evaluate the relationships between children’s health and the environment. Enrollment is estimated to begin in September 2005, and 100,000 children will be followed from preconception or early pregnancy until adulthood. Among multiple health outcomes, the study is proposing to investigate whether pre- and/or postnatal exposures to nonpersistent pesticides increase the risk of poor performance on neurobehavioral and cognitive

193.

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Workshop to Identify Critical Windows of Exposure for Children's Health: Neurobehavioral Work Group Summary

Authors: Bernard Weiss

For much of the history of toxicology, the sensitivity of the developing organism to chemical perturbation attracted limited attention. Several tragic episodes and new insights finally taught us that the course of early brain development incurs unique risks. Although the process is exquisitely controlled, its lability renders it highly susceptible to damage from environmental chemicals. Such disturbances, as recognized by current testing protocols and legislation such as the Food Quality Prot

200.

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The Environment and Asthma in U.S. Inner Cities

Authors: Peyton A. Eggleston, Timothy J. Buckley, Patrick N. Breysse, Marsha Wills-Karp, Steven R. Kleeberger, and Jouni J. K. Jaakkola

The prevalence and severity of asthma has increased in the last 20 years, and the greatest increase has been seen among children and young adults living in U.S. inner cities. The reasons for this increase are obviously complex, but include environmental exposures to allergens and pollutants, changing patterns of medication, and the psychosocial stresses of living in poor inner-city neighborhoods. This paper presents an overview of environmental, immunologic, and genetic factors associated wit

212.

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Effects of Transplacental Exposure to Environmental Pollutants on Birth

Authors: Frederica P. Perera, et al.

Inner-city, minority populations are high-risk groups for adverse birth outcomes and also are more likely to be exposed to environmental contaminants, including environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and pesticides. In a sample of 263 nonsmoking African-American and Dominican women, we evaluated the effects on birth outcomes of prenatal exposure to airborne PAHs monitored during pregnancy by personal air sampling, along with ETS estimated by plasma cotinine,

213.

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Socioeconomic Predictors of High Allergen Levels in Homes in the Greater

Authors: Barrett T. Kitch, et al.

In the United States, childhood asthma morbidity and prevalence rates are the highest in less affluent urban minority communities. More than 80% of childhood asthmatics are allergic to one or more inhalant allergens. We evaluated whether socioeconomic status was associated with a differential in the levels and types of indoor home allergens. Dust samples for an ELISA allergen assay were collected from the homes of 499 families as part of a metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts, longitudinal birth

217.

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First National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing: Survey Design and

Authors: Patrick J. Vojta, et al.

From July 1998 to August 1999, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences conducted the first National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing. The purpose of the survey was to assess children’s potential household exposure to lead, allergens, and bacterial endotoxins. We surveyed a sample of 831 homes, representing 96 million permanently occupied, noninstitutional housing units that permit resident children. We administered q

219.

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Healthy Homes Brochure

Authors: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Healthy Homes Program helps make our home safer. The Program provides homeowners and rental property owners with practical information about how to prevent health and safety hazards.

221.

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Pediatric Perspective on the Unique Vulnerability and Resilience of the Embryo and the Child to Environmental Toxicants: The Importance of Rigorous Research Concerning Age and Agent

Authors: Robert L. Brent, Susanne Tanski and Michael Weitzman

There is realistic concern about the impact of environmental influences on the health of human populations. First, exposure to environmental agents continues despite successes in reducing exposures to known toxicants such as lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and tobacco smoke. Second, there has been increasing concern about the cause of autism and other neurodevelopmental problems and hypotheses that environmental influences may play a role in the prevalence of these and other such child

222.

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How Environmental Hazards in Childhood Have Been Discovered: Carcinogens, Teratogens, Neurotoxicants, and Others

Authors: Robert W. Miller

Review of the literature reveals that environmental hazards cause adverse health effects that include sterility, infertility, embryotoxicity, low birth weight, skin lesions, neurodevelopmental defects, immunologic disorders, cancer, and fear of late effects. They have been identified mostly by astute practitioners but also by a bacteriologist, an animal experimentalist, 5 factory workers in childless marriages, and a tipsy bystander in an economically impoverished area of Baltimore. Dust on a p

223.

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Risk Assessment and Child Health

Authors: Jonathan M. Samet

Risk assessment, an approach for organizing information about hazards to health, safety, and the environment, provides a framework for gauging the threat to child health from environmental pollutants. A qualitative risk assessment has 4 components: hazard identification, dose–response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. In a risk assessment, consideration can be given to a population group that potentially has increased susceptibility, whether arising from having a high

224.

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Environmental Causes of Human Congenital Malformations: The Pediatrician's Role in Dealing With These Complex Clinical Problems Caused by a Multiplicity of Environmental and Genetic Factors

Authors: Robert L. Brent

There have been amazing advances in embryology, teratology, reproductive biology, genetics, and epidemiology in the past 50 years that have provided scientists and clinicians with a better perspective on the causes of congenital malformations. We still cannot provide the families of children with malformations a definitive diagnosis and cause in every instance. The purpose of this article is to inform pediatricians about environmental drugs, chemicals, and physical agents that have been documen

225.

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Pediatric Pharmacokinetic Data: Implications for Environmental Risk Assessment for Children

Authors: Gary Ginsberg, Dale Hattis, Richard Miller and Babasaheb Sonawane

Pharmacology and toxicology share a common interest in pharmacokinetic data, especially as it is available in pediatric populations. These data have been critical to the clinical pharmacologist for many years in designing age-specific dosing regimens. Now they are being used increasingly by toxicologists to understand the ontogeny of physiologic parameters that may affect the metabolism and clearance of environmental toxicants. This article reviews a wide range of physiologic and metabolic fact

226.

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Utilization of Animal Studies to Determine the Effects and Human Risks of Environmental Toxicants (Drugs, Chemicals, and Physical Agents)

Authors: Robert L. Brent

Toxicology studies using animals and in vitro cellular or tissue preparations have been used to study the toxic effects and mechanism of action of drugs and chemicals and to determine the effective and safe dose of drugs in humans and the risk of toxicity from chemical exposures. Studies in pregnant animals are used to determine the risk of birth defects and other reproductive effects. There is no question that whole animal teratology studies are helpful in raising concerns about the reproduct

227.

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Children's Behavior and Physiology and How It Affects Exposure to Environmental Contaminants

Authors: Jacqueline Moya, Cynthia F. Bearer and Ruth A. Etzel

Infant, child, and adolescent exposures to environmental toxicants are different from those of adults because of differences in behavior and physiology. Because of these differences, there is the potential for quantitatively different exposures at various stages of development. Pediatricians are well aware of these behavioral and physiologic differences from a clinical standpoint—namely, food and water intake, soil ingestion, mouthing behavior, inhalation physiology, and activity level—as they

234.

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Environmental Causes of Central Nervous System Maldevelopment

Authors: Patricia M. Rodier

The central nervous system is the most vulnerable of all body systems to developmental injury. This review focuses on developmental processes by which the nervous system is formed and how those processes are known or suspected to be injured by toxic agents. The processes discussed are establishment of neuron numbers; migration of neurons; establishment of connections, neurotransmitter activity, and receptor numbers; deposition of myelin; and 2 processes that are prominent in postnatal developm

235.

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The Developing Kidney and Environmental Toxins

Authors: Michael J. Solhaug, Philip M. Bolger and Pedro A. Jose

The effects of environmental chemicals, drugs, and physical agents on the developing kidney are influenced by the state of renal development and maturation. The development of the kidney, the major excretory organ after birth, consists of 3 stages: the pronephros, or cervical kidney; mesonephros, or thoracic kidney; and metanephros, or abdominal kidney, the definitive kidney. In humans, nephrogenesis and organogenesis occur from the 6th to the 36th weeks of gestational age. After 36 weeks, nephr

236.

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Enhanced Sensitivity of the Postnatal Lung to Environmental Insults and Oxidant Stress

Authors: Jacob N. Finkelstein and Carl J. Johnston

Examination of the current state of health in the United States suggests that childhood lung diseases are increasing at an alarming rate. Looking more closely at the data, it can be seen that this increase is especially true for chronic respiratory diseases such as allergic asthma. This is a disease that is thought to have its roots in childhood insults. The demographics of the current wave of asthma and other chronic lung diseases reveal that the incidence is highest among children in polluted