Occupational Blood and Skin Diseases

Occupational Hematologic (Blood) Diseases

• Lead poisoning can cause anemia resulting from battery manufacturing and lead smelting.
• Benzene exposure in solvent and soap manufacturing can cause aplastic anemia.
• Arsine gas exposure in chemical industries can cause hemolysis of red blood cells.
• Lead poisoning can also cause hypertension, decreased hearing acuity, nephropathy/renal failure, infertility (men), frank anemia, peripheral neuropathy, and encephalopathy – seizures.

Skin Diseases

• Exposure to plastics and epoxies in the plastic and varnish industry can lead to allergic contact dermatitis.
• Exposure to sodium hydroxide and acids in chemical industries and laundering can cause irritant contact dermatitis.

Factors that Influence Workers’ Response to Hazards

• Individual susceptibility to hazards is influenced by genetic factors, age, gender, and medical history.

Variables Influencing the Effects of Hazards

• The physical properties of hazards, multiplicity of exposure, duration of exposure, and timing of exposure all contribute to the impact of hazards on workers.

Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)

• The PSA is responsible for implementing the objectives of R.A. 10625.
• This includes planning, developing, prescribing, disseminating, and enforcing policies, rules, and regulations regarding the production of official statistics, general-purpose statistics, and civil registration services.
• The PSA carries out national censuses and surveys, sectoral statistics, consolidation of national accounts, and other functions assigned by the PSA Board.

Department of Health (DOH)

• The Epidemiology Bureau of the DOH provides surveillance and epidemiologic information to prevent and control outbreaks.
• They improve health policies, programs, and systems and develop competent health personnel to detect and respond to public health threats.
• Functions of the Epidemiology Bureau include developing and evaluating surveillance systems, collecting and disseminating health information, investigating disease outbreaks, and networking public health laboratories.

Local Civil Registry Offices (LCR)

• LCRs, under the technical supervision of the Civil Registrar General of the National Statistics Office (NSO), are responsible for the registration of vital events.
• The PSA took over the civil registration function of the NSO, with the National Statistician assuming the role of Civil Registrar General, providing overall direction in the implementation of the Civil Registry Law.

Population Projection/Estimation

• Population estimation for future dates requires an earlier population count.
• Vital statistics are based on population data obtained from census reports.
• Non-censal year population is estimated using various methods:
  • Arithmetic Method: Assumes a constant annual population increase.
  • Geometric Method: Assumes a consistent rate of increase as a percentage of the previous population.

Cellular Microbes: Bacteria

• Bacteria are prokaryotic, microscopic, single-celled organisms.
• They are classified into three phenotypic categories: gram-negative with cell wall, gram-positive with cell wall, and those lacking a cell wall.
• Bacteria reproduce through binary fission.

Basic Shapes of Bacteria

• Cocci: Round or spherical in shape
  • Diplococci: Pair of cocci
  • Streptococci: Chains of cocci
  • Staphylococci: Clusters of cocci
• Bacillus: Rod-shaped
• Spirilla: Curved or spiral-shaped

Medically Important Cocci

• Enterococcus spp.
• Neisseria spp.
• Staphylococcus spp.
• Streptococcus spp.

Medically Important Bacilli

• Enterobacter
• Escherichia
• Klebsiella
• Proteus
• Salmonella
• Shigella spp.
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• Bacillus spp.
• Clostridium spp.

Medically Important Spirilla

• Vibrio cholerae
• Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Other Microbial Types

• Mycoplasma: Bacteria lacking a cell wall, resistant to antibiotics targeting cell wall synthesis.
• Pleomorphic: Bacteria that exist in a variety of shapes.
• Viroids: Infectious RNA molecules causing plant diseases.
• Prions: Infectious molecules causing various animal and human diseases.

Molds & Yeasts

• Molds: Microscopic multicellular organisms
• Yeasts: Microscopic single-celled organisms that reproduce through budding.

Key Yeasts

• Candida albicans
• Candida neoformans

This quiz covers various occupational hematologic and skin diseases caused by exposure to hazardous materials in various industries. It delves into specific examples like lead poisoning and allergic contact dermatitis, along with factors that influence workers' responses to these hazards. Test your knowledge about the impact of workplace exposures on health.