Introduction: In previous studies the appearance of vitiligo following occupational exposure has been defined. This study evaluates high risk occupational exposures before the onset of disease among patients with vitiligo.Methods: All vitiliginous patients refered to dermatologic clinic of Imam Hospital, were asked about age of onset, recent and previous occupations, risky occupational exposures, autoimmune systemic disease and family history. Laboratory evaluation about diabetis melitus and thyroid disease was performed.Results: Of 135 patients included in the study, 70 (51.85%) patients had an occupation and 65 (48.14%) were unemployed. Of 70 occupational cases, 23 (32.9%) had a risky occupational exposure. The most prevalent risky occupational exposures were exposure to detergents, oil colour, print dye and pesticides. Occupational cases were divided into two groups: with risky occupational exposure and without risky exposure. In risky occupational exposure group, the ratio of men to women was significantly higher. There was a significant difference in distribution of the disease between two groups and extremities were significantly more involved in risky exposure group. Age at onset was significantly lower in non-risky exposure group. None of the patients with risky occupational exposure used skin protction.Conclusion: High prevalence of risky occupational exposure may indicate it as a risk factor for vitiligo. Knowledge about these risky chemicals and prevention, may reduce occupational vitiligo.

Considering the rising prevalence of HIV infection, hepatitis B and hepatitis C epidemics in our country and other developing countries, and given that these blood-borne pathogens could be acquired through occupational exposure as a major professional hazard among healthcare workers, such as physicians, nurses, dentists, laboratory workers, and cleaning service employees by needle stick injury or splashing of infected fluid to mucosal surfaces, doctors, nurses and other health-care providers are worried about HIV, HBV and HCV exposure and, after such accidents, they ask "is this disease transmitted to me?". So, all of healthcare workers should be educated for post-exposure prophylaxis of blood-borne pathogens.This review is based on the last recommendations and current protocols for prompt reporting, evaluation, counseling, treatment, and follow-up of occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens.

Background: Pesticides are chemical compounds used against vectors of human and animal diseases as well as plant pests. This study was undertaken to assess pulmonary reactions, if any, associated with occupational exposure to pesticides.Methods: This was a cross sectional analytical study in which a group of 86 exposed (employees of a pesticide producing company) and 75 unexposed referent subjects (Paper board recycling factory workers) were investigated. A standard questionnaire used to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms. Additionally, the parameters of pulmonary function were measured at the first day of workweek before and after shift, and several days after exposure.Results: Significant decrements were noted in some parameters of pulmonary function after exposure. Similarly, mean values of all parameters of pulmonary function, both prior to and after exposure were significantly lower than those of referent individuals. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms such as cough, phlegm and wheezing in the exposed group was significantly higher than those of referent subjects.Conclusion: Significant, chronic, irreversible, and acute, partially reversible, decrements in parameters of pulmonary function of exposed subjects observed in this study indicate that exposure to pesticides is associated with ventilatory disorders and reduced pulmonary capacities.

Introduction: Mercury is one of the three heavy metals which are listed on top of the US EPA, s list for toxic and hazardous material with priority for human health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the situation of environmental and occupational human contamination with mercury in Iran.Method: All studies conducted in Iran which had measured mercury levels in humans in Iran, were searched by electronic databases including Iranmedex, SID, Magiran, Google Scholar, Web of Knowledge, Science Direct and PubMed. Due to the heterogeneity of the study results, meta analysis was not performed on the results.Results: After searching the databases, fourty seven articles were found. From these, 44 were chosen and evaluated. Although contamination with mercury is not high in Iran, but occupational exposure is considerable and contamination in specific groups such as dentists is high.Conclusion: Considering the high exposure to mercury in some occupational groups, using personal protective equipment and proper ventilation at workplaces should be emphasized. Also periodic monitoring of mercury exposure and medical examination of related workers is necessary. In order to decrease environmental exposure, it is suggested that legislations for routine monitoring of mercury in food and using composites without mercury be practiced.

Introduction: One of the pollutants that is developing in human life day by day, is Magnetic field. In modern urban transport systems, diesel motors have been replaced with electric motors, working with alternating and direct currents, and leading to occupational exposure of drivers with magnetic fields. This study aimed to determine the urban train’s driver exposure with static magnetic fields and compare it with national occupational exposure limits.Methods: In order to measure driver’s exposure with static magnetic field, several samples were selected from urban AC and DC and AC intercity trains, in the 1, 2, 4, and 5 lines of Tehran, Iran. After determination of the sampling location, static magnetic field was measured by three axes magnetic field meter (HI-3550), according to the standard IEEE std C95.3.1 and previous studies. In order to data analyzing, the SPSS software (ver.20) was used.Results: The maximum exposure of drivers was in DC trains- line 2- (0.52 mT), meanwhile, average exposure of AC trains driver (0.095 mT) was higher than DC trains driver (0.081 mT). The average magnetic flux density between different lines has not significant differences. The highest levels of time-weighted average exposure were related to line 1 AC train drivers (0.06 mT).Conclusion: Exposure of train’s drivers was 10 time higher than background level, indicating a significant exposure in this job. However, in none of assessment situation, whole body exposure of train’s driver was not exceeded from national occupational exposure level (TWA=0.2 and ceiling=2 T). Of course, it does not imply that this level of exposure is completely safe, because different studies, have reported health problems even at lower values of the magnetic field.

Background & objective: In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the application of nanotechnology in industries and the number of workers occupied in different processes of research on and construction, production and residue disposal of products containing nanoparticles. Despite this growth, however, there is still a dearth of information on the risk of occupational exposure to these materials. Due to the growing application of nanoparticles in the workplace, selecting suitable sampling and characterization techniques and instruments as well as investigating their efficiency for the evaluation of occupational exposure is very important.Methods: The present review study was conducted to introduce the methods and instruments used for evaluating occupational exposure to nanoparticles with an emphasis on the results of the existing literature on methods and instruments of evaluating occupational exposure to nanoparticles and the different contributing factors and conditions through library resources.Results: The results of this study demonstrate that, in spite of the wide application of nanotechnology in the workplace, a reliable, international and standard method for evaluating occupational exposure to nanoparticles is still lacking. This study also shows that occupational exposure to nanoparticles can be evaluated through modern instruments that identify and characterize nanoparticles in terms of their number, mass concentration and surface area. The Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) was the most widely-used instrument for measuring the number and size distribution of particles.Conclusion: The accuracy and precision of the methods and instruments used for evaluating the exposure to nanoparticles can be investigated in future research as a way of establishing a suitable and reliable evaluative standard.