Joly Ghanawi

Climate Change and Health Research in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Anthropologically induced climate change, caused by an increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is an emerging threat to human health. Consequences of climate change may affect the prevalence of various diseases and environmental and social maladies that affect population health. In this article, we reviewed the literature on climate change and health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. This region already faces numerous humanitarian crises, from conflicts to natural hazards and a high burden of disease. Climate change is likely to aggravate these emergencies, necessitating a strengthening of health systems and capacities in the region. However, the existing literature on climate change from the region is sparse and informational gaps stand in the way of regional preparedness and adaptation. Further research is needed to assess climatic changes and related health impacts in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Such knowledge will allow countries to identify preparedness vulnerabilities, evaluate capacity to adapt to climate change, and develop adaptation strategies to allay the health impacts of climate change.

Effects of Acute and Chronic Nitrite Exposure on Rabbitfish Siganus rivulatus Growth, Hematological Parameters, and Gill Histology

Nitrite is toxic to fishes and is often encountered in recirculation aquaculture systems. Accordingly, the nitrite tolerance of potential aquaculture candidates needs to be assessed before the fish can be farmed in land-based recirculation systems. In the present work, we studied the susceptibility of the marbled rabbitfish Siganus rivulatus to nitrite. In the first experiment, we placed fish at 0, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 and 130 mg l-1 NO2-N and evaluated 96 h LC50. In the second experiment we measured survival and growth of fish reared at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mg l-1 NO2-N for eight weeks. Blood parameters of fish in the various treatments were also measured and gill histology studied. Finally, methemoglobinemia in fish reared at various nitrite conditions was assessed. The NO2-N 96 h LC50 of S. rivulatus juveniles was 105 mg l-1. In the growth experiment, fish mortality was greater than in the control at NO2-N concentrations 30 mg l-1 and greater. Growth in all treatments was less than in the control but there were no significant differences among treatments. Aqueous nitrite affected various hematological parameters such as hematocrit and total hemoglobin. Compared to other aquacultured marine fishes, the marbled rabbitfish is considered tolerant to environmental nitrite.

Double jeopardy: assessing the association between internal displacement, housing quality and chronic illness in a low-income neighborhood

PurposeThis study analyzed associations between war-related internal displacement, housing quality and the prevalence of chronic illness in Nabaa, a low-income neighborhood on the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of sociodemographics, household characteristics and health conditions of the study population was carried out in 2002. Using a structured questionnaire, the research team surveyed 1,151 households representing 4,987 residents of all ages. The survey was administered to a proxy respondent from each household in face-to-face interviews. A multiple logistic regression model using the generalized estimation equation method was constructed to assess the simultaneous effect of displacement and housing quality on reported ill health, while adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsHousing quality and internal displacement were strongly associated with occurrences of chronic illness. The most vulnerable respondents were older residents, females and internally displaced people, who reported high rates of chronic illnesses. Residents with high levels of education were less likely to report a chronic illness than those that had elementary education or less.ConclusionNabaa residents’ experience of poor health was associated with inadequate housing quality. Moreover, residents who have been displaced experience worse living conditions and were more likely to experience poor health than those who were not displaced. These results reveal a need for policies to improve housing quality and alleviate war-related consequences in low-income neighborhoods.

Seasonal variation in highly unsaturated fatty acid composition of muscle tissue of two fishes endemic to the Eastern Mediterranean

Fatty acid content and profile in muscle tissue of two commercially important fishes from the Eastern Mediterranean were analyzed. One fish, Siganus rivulatus or rabbitfish, is an herbivore while the other fish, Diplodus sargus or white sea-bream, is a carnivore. Our aim was to evaluate changes in health benefits to consumers of said fishes among seasons and among species with different diets. Total fat content of the muscle in both fishes was low, being highest in August for the rabbitfish (3.31g per 100 g wet tissue) and in October for the white sea-bream (2.27 g per 100 g). Omega-3 and omega-6 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) as a proportion of total lipids also varied with season in both fishes. The total amount of lipid consumed per weight of tissue varied monthly among the species and one species is not necessarily better than another all year. However, on average, a person that consumes only rabbitfish throughout the year will eat more marine lipid than a consumer that eats only white sea-bream. Nonetheless, both species studied supply essential ω-3 and ω-6 HUFA. The ω-6:ω-3 ratio in fish in the present work was generally less than 2.0, but a diet that includes these fishes supplemented with some vegetable oil would raise the ratio to the recommended value of 4 to 6.

Improving Water Use Efficiency in Semi-Arid Regions through Integrated Aquaculture/Agriculture

Two experiments were performed in the Bekaa plain in Lebanon to evaluate the feasibility of integrating aquaculture with established agriculture production in order to increase water productivity. Both experiments consisted of four plant management treatments: 1) Aquaculture effluent irrigation and no fertilizer; 2) aquaculture effluent irrigation and inorganic fertilizer; 3) well water irrigation and no fertilization; and 4) well water irrigation with inorganic fertilizer. In the first experiment, tilapia growth and radish production using aquaculture effluent were evaluated. All fish survived and grew, and radish production was improved by irrigating with aquaculture effluent. In the second experiment, maize (Zea mays) in large plots was irrigated with aquaculture effluent. Irrigation with effluent water improved maize production and improved soil nitrogen availability. In both experiments, fish production improved water value index and water use efficiency. Results suggest that aquaculture effluent can supplant inorganic fertilizers and could actually yield better crop production.

Effect of Dietary Protein Level on Growth Performance and Blood Parameters of Marbled Spinefoot Siganus rivulatus

The present study evaluated the effect of dietary protein levels on growth performance and blood parameters of juvenile marbled spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus). Five semipurified, isoenergetic (14.2 MJ digestible energy/kg; 84 g lipids/kg) diets were formulated to contain 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 g crude protein (CP)/100 g diet. Groups of 15 juvenile fish (7.4 g individual weight) were randomly assigned in triplicate to each of the five treatments and offered the test diets three times daily ad libitum for 9 weeks. Total erythrocyte and differential leukocyte counts, hematocrit, hemoglobin, blood glucose, protein, and serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were evaluated. Survival was greater than 95% in all treatments. Maximum growth was observed in fish offered the diet containing 40 g CP/100 g diet crude protein. Differences in dietary protein level had no effect on the hepatosomatic and viscerosomatic indices of the fish, but whole body composition was influenced by diet. Blood parameters showed no physiological or metabolic dysfunctions among fish offered any of the five diets. Findings of the present work strongly suggest that diets containing 40 g CP/100 g and 14.2 MJ digestible energy/kg are suitable for good growth of juvenile spinefoot rabbitfish Siganus rivulatus and do not affect hematological parameters.

Effects of Stargrass Hay Supplementation on Growth and Survival of Juvenile Redclaw Crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus

Abstract Hay is used as supplementary forage for crayfish aquaculture in many farms around the world. However, our understanding of the relative contribution of hay to crayfish dietary requirements is limited. In the present work, 36 juvenile redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus were stocked into each of 28 tanks that received water continuously from a pond. Four replicate tanks were assigned to each of seven dietary treatments: commercial formulated feed (FF) only, at a ration calculated to produce optimal growth; 100% of the calculated FF ration plus the hay of stargrass Cynodon nlemfuensis added at 150 kg·ha−1·week−1; 75% of the FF ration plus hay; 50% of the FF ration plus hay; 25% of the FF ration plus hay; hay only; and no feed (control). At the end of 8 weeks, the crayfish were harvested, counted, and weighed. There were no significant differences in survival among treatments (α = 0.05), and crayfish growth did not differ among tanks that were offered FF. Redclaw crayfish in the hay-only treatme...