Age, gender, and racial/ethnic differences in the association of triclocarban with adulthood obesity using NHANES 2013-2016

This study examined the association between triclocarban and obesity among US adults and compared the pattern of this association across age, gender, and racial/ethnic groups. Study found triclocarban to be associated with obesity (OR: OR:1.123 95% CI: 1.046, 1.205) and this association remained among women (OR:1.14 95% CI: 1.031, 1.261). Study participants aged 60 years and older were more likely to be overweight (OR:1.131 95% CI: 1.022 1.251) and obese (OR:1.192 95% CI: 1.079, 1.317) when compared to other age groups. Likewise, non-Hispanic whites (OR:1.126 95% CI: 1.003, 1.263) and "other race including multi-racial" (OR:1.431 95% CI: 1.219, 1.679) were more likely to be obese when compared to other racial/ethnic groups. In conclusion, triclocarban is associated with obesity among US adults and there is evidence of gender, age, and racial/ethnicity differences in the association.

Triclosan and triclocarban exposure, infectious disease symptoms and antibiotic prescription in infants-A community-based randomized intervention

Background

Triclosan and triclocarban (TCs) are broad-spectrum antimicrobials that, until recently, were found in a wide variety of household and personal wash products. Popular with consumers, TCs have not been shown to protect against infectious diseases.

Objectives

To determine whether use of TC-containing wash products reduces incidence of infection in children less than one year of age.

Methods

Starting in 2011, we nested a randomized intervention of wash products with and without TCs within a multiethnic birth cohort. Maternal reports of infectious disease symptoms and antibiotic use were collected weekly by automated survey; household visits occurred every four months. Antibiotic prescriptions were identified by medical chart review. Urinary triclosan levels were measured in a participant subset. Differences by intervention group in reported infectious disease (primary outcome) and antibiotic use (secondary outcome) were assessed using mixed effects logistic regression and Fisher’s Exact tests, respectively.

Results

Infectious illness occurred in 6% of weeks, with upper respiratory illness the predominant syndrome. Among 60 (45%) TC-exposed and 73 (55%) non-TC-exposed babies, infectious disease reports did not differ in frequency between groups (likelihood ratio test: p = 0.88). Medical visits with antibiotic prescriptions were less common in the TC group than in the non-TC group (7.8% vs. 16.6%, respectively; p = 0.02).

Conclusions

Although randomization to TC-containing wash products was not associated with decreased infectious disease reports by mothers, TCs were associated with decreased antibiotic prescriptions, suggesting a benefit against bacterial infection. The recent removal of TCs from consumer wash products makes further elucidation of benefits and risks impracticable.

Acute Depigmentation of Fertile Brown Eggs in a Commercial Layer Operation

Rapid depigmentation of brown eggs is an infrequent but startling event in the commercial egg industry that can result in significant economic losses. Loss of shell pigment in brown-shelled eggs is caused by various factors. In many cases, the exact cause of flock-wide pigment loss remains undetermined. A rapid decline in shell pigmentation was observed in 2 flocks of Hyline brown layers. The lack of evidence of an infectious disease process suggested a feed or management problem. On the basis of a small-scale, “in-house” feeding trial, the feed was identified as the cause of depigmentation. Feed analysis by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of 4,4'-dinitrocarbanilide, a major component of nicarbazin (NCZ). There was no evidence of increased mortality, and only a slight but transient drop in the egg production was observed. Depigmentation effects were rapidly reversed after replacing the feed with NCZ-free feed.

Stanford's Outcomes Research in Kids (STORK): a prospective study of healthy pregnant women and their babies in Northern California

PURPOSE

Stanford's Outcomes Research in Kids (STORK) is an ongoing prospective cohort of healthy pregnant women and their babies established to determine the effect of infectious diseases on weight, linear growth and immune system development during childhood. Additionally, a nested randomised intervention of household and personal cleaning products tests the effects of the microbicides triclosan and triclocarban on these outcomes and incidence of infection.

PARTICIPANTS

Healthy pregnant women were identified and enrolled primarily at public clinics; their babies, enrolled shortly after birth, are followed to age 36 months. Automated weekly surveys assess daily health status, infectious disease symptoms, healthcare provider visits and antibiotic use, in the mother during pregnancy and the baby once born. At 4-monthly household visits, information and samples are collected from the mother (urine, stool, saliva, skin swab), the baby (blood by heel/toe stick, urine, stool, saliva, skin swab) and the household (environmental swabs). Annual blood samples are obtained by venipuncture (mother and baby). Medical charts are abstracted for allergy and infectious illness in the mother during pregnancy and the baby.

FINDINGS TO DATE

From 7/2011 to 2/2015, 158 mothers were enrolled at approximately 20 weeks gestation; 127 babies were enrolled. Two-thirds of mothers are Hispanic, one-third are non-US born and one-third speak primarily Spanish; mean years of education is 13 (SD 6.2) years. Households have on average 4.5 residents. Most households (97%) were randomised to participate in the intervention. Completion of weekly surveys (86%) and follow-up (75% after 14 months) is excellent in this young, mobile population; collection of samples is ongoing with thousands of specimens stored.

FUTURE PLANS

Enrolled babies will be followed until age 36 months (last anticipated visit: 07/2018) with medical chart review completed soon thereafter. All epidemiological information and samples will be available for collaborative hypothesis testing.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT01442701; Pre-results.

Co-occurrence of triclocarban and triclosan in U.S. water resources

Triclocarban (TCC) and triclosan (TCS) are antimicrobial additives in personal care products. Whereas TCS has been studied extensively, the environmental fate of TCC remains largely unknown. To address this data gap, we performed quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analyses that suggested a propensity of TCC to persist in various environmental compartments with predicted half-lives ranging from 0.75 days in air to 540 days in sediment. Moreover, concentrations of both antimicrobials were measured in 42 environmental samples from the Greater Baltimore region using a combination of solid-phase extraction, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, and isotope dilution. The co-occurrence of TCC and TCS was observed, owing to similar properties, usage, disposal, and environmental half-lives. A linear empirical correlation (R2 = 0.9882) fit the log-log-transformed data from diverse aquatic media and spanned 5 orders of magnitude in concentration. Occurrences of TCC predicted for 85 U.S. streams were statistically indistinguishable from experimental regional data (alpha < or = 0.05). Annual loading of antimicrobials to water resources probably is dominated by activated sludge treatment plants (39-67%), followed by trickling filters (31-54%) and combined and sanitary sewer overflows (2-7% and <0.2%, respectively). Study results suggest that TCC is a previously unrecognized contaminant of U.S. water resources nationwide, likely ranking in the top 10 in occurrence rate and in the top 20 in maximum concentration among 96 organic pollutants considered. The magnitude and frequency of TCC contamination (regional, 6750 ng/L, 68%; predicted nationwide for 1999--2000, 1150 ng/L, 60%) were markedly higher than non-peer-reviewed numbers (240 ng/L, 30%, U.S.) currently used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for evaluating TCC's ecological and human health risks.

Photopatch test reactivity: effect of photoallergen concentration and UVA dosaging

We have studied the influence of variations in allergen concentration and UVA dosaging on the results of photopatch testing with the Scandinavian standard photopatch series in 29 patients with photocontact and/or contact allergy to 1 or several of the allergens in that series. Photocontact test reactions were more sensitive to allergen dilution than plain contact test reactions. Even dilution from the standard 5% to 2.5% significantly reduced para-aminobenzoic acid photocontact test reactions. Reducing the UVA dose from the standard 5 J/cm2 to 2.5 or 1 J/cm2 in 2 out of 5 cases turned a significant (++) reaction into a doubtful one (+). Increasing the standard UVA dose of 5 J/ cm2 to 20-40 J/cm2 turned a single + photocontact reaction to trichlorcarbanilide and a single 1 + plain contact reaction to chlorhexidine into ++ reactions. In the majority of cases, however, neither photocontact nor plain contact test reactions were augemented by UVA doses up to 80 J/cm2. We conclude that a UVA dose of 5 J/cm2 is sufficient for eliciting photocontact allergic test reactions, and that a reduction of either the UVA dose level or the standard allergen concentrations of the Scandinavian photopatch test guidelines may cause loss of significant photocontact test reactions in a proportion of the cases.

Experimental pathology of intravenous Polyurethane cannulae containing disinfectant

Cannula tubing (1.6 mm external, 1 mm internal diameter) manufactured from medical grade polyurethane containing 2%, 2,4,4'-tri-chloro-2'-hydroxydiphenylether ('Irgasan', Ciba-Geigy) was found to have no effect other than that seen with control ('Irgasan'-free) tubing in the following test systems: (i) haemolysis, (ii) endothelial cell cultures, (iii) paravertebral muscle of rabbits, (iv) jugular vein of rabbits, (v) cannulation of baboons and (vi) clotting times of human platelet-rich plasma. However, the results from (iv) showed a significant amount of damage from both inpregnated and control cannulae and (v) showed that all detectable 'Irgasan' had been eluted from the portions of tubing retained within the animal before the end of the experiment, more rapidly than predicted from in-vitro studies. The rate of elution of 'Irgasan' in vivo needs to be further investigated, and consideration should be given to developing a plastic-disinfectant combination with a slower rate of loss of disinfectant.

Effect of induced hypomagnesaemia on the toxicity of imidocarb in calves

The hypothesis that the toxic effects of imidocarb mediated by reduced cholinesterase activity might be intensified by hypomagnesaemia was tested in calves. Hypomagnesaemia was induced in 12 males (50 kg) using an artificial milk based on a commercial nondairy coffee creamer. Although plasma magnesium levels reached 0.33 mmol litre-1 in two weeks no clinical signs were detected. In 12 control calves a daily magnesium supplement of 0.6 g was inadequate although the published requirement is 0.45 g; it was raised to 1.2 g to keep plasma magnesium normal. Lighter calves developed hypomagnesaemia more readily and fast-growing calves had lower plasma urea concentrations. Plasma calcium, but not plasma magnesium, showed significant positive correlation with plasma albumin. The only statistically significant effects of hypomagnesaemia were slight elevations of white cell count and plasma sodium. The hypomagnesaemic and normomagnesaemic calves were divided into two equal groups and treated with 3.3 mg kg-1 of imidocarb dipropionate or a placebo. The drug produced the expected clinical signs of mild toxicity and depression of cholinesterase but no other adverse effects. Transient slight depressions of plasma calcium and potassium concentration, a transient rise of plasma sodium and elevation of creatine kinase occurred. None of the effects of imidocarb treatment was intensified by hypomagnesaemia except, perhaps, constriction of the pupils; generally, hypomagnesaemic animals were affected less.

Adverse effects of imidocarb dipropionate (Imizol) in a dog

One of 13 healthy dogs used in a pharmacokinetic study of imidocarb dipropionate died due to difficulty in breathing, tachycardia, weakness and profuse diarrhoea. Autopsy findings showed marked pulmonary congestion and oedema. Kidneys were grossly enlarged and markedly congested with extensive haemorrhage in the cortex and medulla. Marked tubulonephrosis was also exhibited microscopically. Liver and spleen were moderately enlarged and congested. The adverse effects of imidocarb may be due to excessive acetylcholine action.

The adverse effects of nicarbazin on reproductive activity in the hen

The effects of the anticoccidial agent nicarbazin on reproductive activity in the female fowl have been studied. 2. The drug had no effect on the plasma concentration of luteinising hormone, but treated hens showed a reduced hypothalamic sensitivity to exogenous progesterone, whilst the capacity of the pituitary to respond to luteinising hormone releasing hormone was unimpaired. 3. It is suggested that nicarbazin not only prevents yolk deposition within the ovary but also adversely affects the stimulatory function of the hypothalamus, possibly through an unsuitable hormonal environment.

Triclocarban: evaluation of contact dermatitis potential in man

Triclocarban was subjected to a profiling of its dermatitis producing potential including irritancy (21-day cumulative irritancy potential and application to 213 normal controls), phototoxicity (method of Marzulli), predictive contact sensitization (modified Draize method), predictive phototesting and battery screening in 2200 dermatitis patients, in an effort to define its relative dermatitis potential. The allergic contact dermatitis potential of triclocarban following bar soap use appears minimal.

Heat stress mortality in nicarbazine fed chickens

Significantly higher mortalities were found in nicarbazine fed chickens than in amprolium fed chickens when exposed to the same heat stress conditions.

Sensitization to propantheline bromide, trichlorocarbanilide and propylene glycol in an antiperspirant

Out of 14 patients with axillary dermatitis due to an antiperspirant, and with positive patch test reactions to the product, the sensitizer could be demonstrated in 12. Of these, 11 were positive to propantheline bromide, 3 to trichlorocarbanilide and one to propylene glycol. The antiperspirant contains 90% propylene glycol, which is an irritant under occlusion. When applied in the axillae, where occlusive conditions usually prevail, an irritant effect of propylene glycol may have promoted sensitization to the ingredients of the antiperspirant.