Vaz-Rodrigues R, Rafael M, Carniato D, de la Fuente J
Annals of medicine ā¢
Tick bites and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are a worldwide concern, with growing evidence of an ongoing spread and emergence of new cases. This study applied a participatory citizen science across Spain and Portugal to gather public perspectives on the impact of tick bites, the presence of TBDs and a potential connection with the Ī±-Gal syndrome (AGS). Data collected from the questionnaire (380 participants) was geographically represented using QGIS Geographic Information System and fitted into multiple generalized linear models (GLMs). Statistical analysis identified factors influencing the occurrence of local skin reactions post-tick bite, AGS-compatible symptoms and visits to health centers following tick exposure. Results showed that the probability of developing localized skin reactions to tick bites rises with increasing age ( = 0.006, ā<ā0.05), the occurrence of multiple bites ( = 0.006, ā=ā0.063) and among individuals bitten in the center-north part of the peninsula ( = 0.006, ā=ā0.058). Seeking medical care following tick bite was reported by 21.6% of respondents, being more common in first-time bite cases ( = 0.002, pā<ā0.01), men ( = 0.002, ā<ā0.01) or individuals presenting localized skin symptoms ( = 0.002, ā<ā0.05). Although 38 inquiries (10.0%) showed signs of AGS, only 3 had received a formal diagnosis, with the odds of developing this disease marginally rising with advancing age ( = 0.215, ā=ā0.066). This study provides valuable insights that should be considered to improve TBDs surveillance and diagnostic strategies, as well as developing preventive measures to reduce tick bite exposure and TBD cases.Developing local skin reactions to tick bites increases with age, multiple bites and in individuals bitten in central-northern Iberia.Seeking medical care following a tick bite is more common in first-time bite cases, men or individuals with local skin symptoms.Although 38 inquiries (10.0%) showed signs of AGS, only 3 were formally diagnosed, with risk increasing with age.
Nudda A, McGuire MK, Battacone G, Manca MG, Boe R, et al.
Journal of food science ā¢
Lamb meat, when used in the weaning diet of children, is presumed to have a lower allergenicity than other forms of red meat. In children with atopic dermatitis and multiple food hypersensitivities, consumption of lamb meat has also resulted in significant clinical improvements in the severity of the eczematous lesions. Lamb meat is also of special interest in infant nutrition because it provides a somewhat unique fatty acid (FA) profile that mirrors what is thought to be optimal for neonatal growth and development. However, very little is known about how the processing of fresh meat (FM) into prepared infant foods influences its FA composition. In this study, we compared the FA profile of FM from suckling lambs with those of homogenized (HO) and lyophilized (LIO) baby foods prepared primarily with lamb meat. The results show that the content of total omega-3 polyunsaturated FAs was the highest in FM (more than 3-fold) compared to commercial baby food, due to largely higher contents of Ī±-linolenic acid (1.5-fold higher), eicosapentaenoic acid (6-fold higher), and docosahexaenoic acid (10-fold higher). Furthermore, arachidonic acid was more than 6-fold higher in FM compared to LIO and HO. Results from this study suggest the possibility of enhancing the FA profile of commercial baby food based on meat by using lamb meat, but care should be taken during processing so that important FAs are not lost. In this article, we have documented that meat from the suckling lamb is an interesting and potentially important source of omega-3-FAs, especially some of the long-chain polyunsaturated FAs (LC-PUFAs) that are essential for optimal neonatal growth and development. These results may have special implications to the infant food industry, in that products made using meat from suckling lambs may provide not only exceptional amounts of these FAs, but also other limiting essential nutrients such as iron. This may be especially important in regions of the world, such as Italy, where use of lamb meat as a weaning food is common during infancy.
