Lisa Pursell

Legislation for smoke-free workplaces and health of bar workers in Ireland: before and after study.

Abstract Objectives To compare exposure to secondhand smoke and respiratory health in bar staff in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland before and after the introduction of legislation for smoke-free workplaces in the Republic. Design Comparisons before and after the legislation in intervention and control regions. Setting Public houses in three areas in the Republic (intervention) and one area in Northern Ireland (control). Participants 329 bar staff enrolled in baseline survey; 249 (76%) followed up one year later. Of these, 158 were non-smokers both at baseline and follow-up. Main outcome measures Salivary cotinine concentration, self reported exposure to secondhand smoke, and respiratory and sensory irritation symptoms. Results In bar staff in the Republic who did not themselves smoke, salivary cotinine concentrations dropped by 80% after the smoke-free law (from median 29.0 nmol/l (95% confidence interval 18.2 to 43.2 nmol/l)) to 5.1 nmol/l (2.8 to 13.1 nmol/l) in contrast with a 20% decline in Northern Ireland over the same period (from median 25.3 nmol/l (10.4 to 59.2 nmol/l) to 20.4 nmol/l (13.2 to 33.8 nmol/l)). Changes in self reported exposure to secondhand smoke were consistent with the changes in cotinine concentrations. Reporting any respiratory symptom declined significantly in the Republic (down 16.7%, −26.1% to −7.3%) but not in Northern Ireland (0% difference, −32.7% to 32.7%). After adjustment for confounding, respiratory symptoms declined significantly more in the Republic than in Northern Ireland and the decline in cotinine concentration was twice as great. Conclusion The smoke-free law in the Republic of Ireland protects non-smoking bar workers from exposure to secondhand smoke.

Reduction in the in-vitro activity of flumequine against Aeromonas salmonicida in the presence of the concentrations of Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions found in sea water

Abstract The effect of an ionic representation of sea water on the kinetics of inhibition and killing of Aeromonas salmonicida isolates by flumequine was investigated. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and the percent bioactivity all varied with respect to time. The concentration of flumequine required to inhibit growth over 24 h was 4 μg ml −1 in Tryptone Soya Broth (TSB) and 128 μg ml −1 in the same medium supplemented with sea water ions. The concentrations required to inhibit growth over 72 h were higher; 16 μg ml −1 and 256 μg ml −1 , respectively. This increase in the MIC over time was shown to be due to the emergence, during the assay, of cells with elevated resistance to flumequine. These strains also showed reduced sensitivity to a number of unrelated antimicrobial agents. The MBC of flumequine at 24 h was 16 μg ml −1 in Tryptone Soya Broth (TSB) and 2048 μg ml −1 in the same medium supplemented with sea water ions. At 72 h the MBC determined in TSB increased to 32 μg ml −1 , and in media supplemented with sea water ions the MBC decreased to 256 μg ml −1 . Thus, the percentage reduction in the bioactivity of flumequine resulting from the presence of sea water ions varied not only with time but also with respect to whether MIC or MBC data was considered. There was no effect by sea water or sea water ions on the HPLC assay of flumequine over the range 1–4096 μg ml −1 . It is argued that HPLC analysis will necessarily overestimate the concentrations of biologically active flumequine in the marine environment. The data presented in this paper indicates some of the factors that must be considered in the design of a valid and relevant biological assay of flumequine in this environment.

Single-dose pharmacokinetic study of oxolinic acid and vetoquinol, an oxolinic acid ester, in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) held in seawater and in vitro antibacterial activity against Aeromonas salmonicida.

Abstract The pharmacokinetic properties of the antibacterial agent oxolinic acid and its carbitol ester (Vetoquinol) were studied after intravenous (oxolinic acid) and oral (oxolinic acid and Vetoquinol) administration to Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) held in seawater at 10°C. Following intravenous injection of oxolinic acid, the plasma drug concentration–time profile showed two distinct phases. The distribution half life ( t 1/2 α) was calculated to be 1 h and the elimination half life ( t 1/2 β) to be 15 h. Total body clearance (Cl T ) was determined to be 0.40 l/kg h and the volume of distribution at steady state, V d(ss) to be 5.7 l/kg indicating good tissue penetration of oxolinic acid in Atlantic salmon. The peak plasma concentrations ( C max ) and the time to peak plasma concentrations ( T max ) for oxolinic acid were estimated to be 0.5 μg/ml and 19 h, respectively, when administrating oxolinic acid and 3.8 μg/ml and 7 h, respectively, following oral administration of Vetoquinol. A bioavailability of 25% was calculated following oral administration of oxolinic acid whereas a total bioavailability of 93% (oxolinic acid+Vetoquinol) where oxolinic acid accounted for 71% was calculated following oral administration of Vetoquinol. In muscle, C max and T max were estimated to 3.2 μg/g and 17 h, respectively, following oral administration of oxolinic acid with corresponding values of 4.6 μg/g and 14 h for oxolinic acid following oral administration of Vetoquinol. Following oral administration of oxolinic acid, C max and T max were estimated to 5.6 μg/g and 10 h, respectively, in liver with corresponding values of 11.5 μg /g and 9 h following oral administration of Vetoquinol. The in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for oxolinic acid and Vetoquinol against 20 strains of Aeromonas salmonicida ranged from 0.0625 to >8 μg/ml for oxolinic acid and from 2 to >516 μg/ml for Vetoquinol.

The biological significance of breakpoint concentrations of oxytetracycline in media for the examination of marine sediment microflora

Abstract Comparative methods were employed to investigate the relative biological activity of oxytetra-cycline in two media that have been used in studies of the frequency of oxytetracycline resistance in marine sediments associated with fish farms. Tryptone Soya Citrate Agar (TSCA) which has been used in Norwegian studies and 2216V agar which has been used in Irish studies were chosen for investigation. Using a nominal breakpoint concentration of 25 μg ml−1 oxytetracycline and identical incubation conditions higher total numbers and significantly lower frequencies of resistance were detected in ten samples of a non-fish farm marine sediment when 2216V media were used. Fifty seven of 60 colony forming units (95%), originally isolated on 2216V agar containing 25 μg ml−1 oxytetracycline were capable of forming colonies on TSCA. Of these, all could also form colonies on TSCA containing 25 μg ml−1 oxytetracycline. In contrast only 37 of 60 colonies originally isolated on TSCA containing 25 μg ml−1 oxytetracycline were capable of colony formation on 2216V agar and of these only 70% were capable of colony formation on this media containing 25 μg ml−1 oxytetracycline. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of oxytetracycline against ten bacteria were established in Mueller Hinton Agar, TSCA and 2216V agar. MIC values were consistently higher when determined on both TSCA and 2216V agar but the extent of the increase showed significant strain to strain variation. These data indicate that it is not possible to arrive at a universally applicable value for the biological activity of oxytetracycline in these agar media. The significance of the inhibition of oxytetracycline activity in media that have been used to investigate the environmental impact of the use of this agent in marine fish farms is discussed.

Time for a paradigm change? Tracing the institutionalisation of health impact assessment in the Republic of Ireland across health and environmental sectors

This paper presents a critical analysis of health impact assessment (HIA) in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) in the context of institutional policy and practice. It begins with a brief background to the origins and aims of HIA. Core developments in health and environmental sectors pertaining to HIA in the ROI are then considered. A series of significant developments have taken place in these sectors over the past decade that are positively associated with the promotion of HIA in the ROI. However, it is argued that in spite of various institutional facilitators, the practice of implementing HIAs in the ROI is significantly underdeveloped, and it continues to lag behind several of its European Union counterparts. It is contended that a paradigm change is required in order to address the current policy-action gap. An organisation theory framework is used to assess the implementation problem and a number of suggestions are highlighted as potential facilitators of this process.

Multiple-dose pharmacokinetic study of Romet30 in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and in vitro antibacterial activity against Aeromonas salmonicida

Abstract The tissue distribution and depletion of ormethoprim (OMP, 5 mg kg−1 day−1) and sulphadimethoxine (SDM, 25 mg kg−1 day−1) were studied in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) after oral administration of Romet30 in feed for 5 consecutive days. The seawater temperature was 10.0 ± 0.5 °C and the salinity 33%. The concentrations of the drugs in plasma and the tissues were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The plasma and tissue levels of OMP and SDM reached steady state levels between 3 and 8 days following initiation of medication. The highest average concentration of OMP in plasma, muscle, liver and kidney were 1.50, 3.67, 9.10 and 166.0 μg ml−1 (g−1), respectively. The corresponding values for SDM were 14.30, 17.72, 7.42 and 6.80 μg ml−1 (g−1), respectively. The elimination half-lives ( t 1 2 β ) for SDM in plasma, muscle liver, and kidney were 20, 19, 62 and 45 h, respectively. The corresponding values for OMP were 63, 143, 95 and 410 h for plasma, muscle, liver and kidney respectively. The mean ratios of OMP:SDM at steady state concentrations in the various organs were 1:10, 1:5, 1:0.8 and 1:0.06 for plasma, muscle, liver and kidney, respectively. The in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration values (MIC) for Romet30 and various OMP: SDM ratios against selected strains of Aeromonas salmonicida were 1–2 μg ml−1 for Romet30 and for the ratios of 1:5 and 1:1. For the OMP: SDM ratios of 1:0, 1:10 and 1:20, the MICs were 2–4 μg ml−1.

Failure of flumisol bath treatments during commercial transport of Atlantic salmon smolts to prevent the activation of stress inducible furunculosis

Abstract This paper reports the development of protocols for the bath administration of flumequine to Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) smolts during their transfer from a fresh water hatchery to a marine farm in buckets suspended under a helicopter. The fish were treated at a density of 365 kg m−3 in water of pH 6.3 and hardness 13.2 mg 1−1 CaCO3. Serum flumequine concentrations showed a linear increase with respect to time of the bath and were dose dependent. The addition of benzocaine to the baths had little effect on uptake during the first 20 min of the bath. 720 000 smolts with covert stress inducible furunculosis were transported to 20 sea cages during 180 helicopter trips in buckets containing 100 μg ml−1 flumequine and 5.7 μg ml−1 benzocaine. Furunculosis was detected in fish in all sea cages shortly after transfer and the treatment was considered to have failed to control the activation of the covert infections. The pharmacokinetics of flumequine were determined in fish that were introduced to sea water at the termination of a bath treatment in fresh water. This data was compared to that obtained from fish that remained in fresh water following a similar treatment. The introduction of the fish into sea water resulted in a very rapid excretion of flumequine via the intestine. It is argued that this rapid elimination of the antimicrobial agent may have been an important factor in the failure of the bath treatment under commercial conditions.

Impacts of an HIA on inter-agency and inter-sectoral partnerships and community participation: lessons from a local level HIA in the Republic of Ireland

This study evaluates the impacts of a locally based health impact assessment (HIA) on community participation, inter-sectoral and inter-agency partnership in local decision and policy-making processes. The methods comprised a series of semi-structured interviews with key informants followed by thematic analysis of transcribed responses. The study revealed a number of positive impacts among both community and service providers. A particularly advantageous impact was the facilitation of community learning through a local action group formed as a recommendation of the HIA that provided community development and HIA training. During the HIA process all participants increased their knowledge of health determinants and recognized a broader range of evidence sources for local decision-making. Participants also developed a greater understanding of each others roles and perspectives. Additionally, the study revealed a number of barriers to HIA. Differing views on the role of HIA were evident whereby community members tended to regard HIA as an advocacy tool for local issues impacting on health in their locality, while service providers perceived its role more in terms of networking and collaboration. A key area remaining to be tackled in terms of partnership working is the approach of service agencies to enabling meaningful community participation in local decision-making processes. In this respect, attention to the cultural dimension of inter-sectoral working, and the need for training for both service agency staff and community members prior to or at the initial stages of HIA are required. Such changes could facilitate more meaningful community inclusion and help to address the current power imbalance between these two sectors.