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Objectives: Cloth diapers with front closure and all-in-one design were compared with paper diapers containing absorbent gel material for their influence on fecal contamination of the environment in licensed child day care centers., Methods: One infant room and two toddler rooms in each of four day care centers were monitored for the presence of fecal bacteria. Microbial samples were taken from the play/sleep area, the diaper-changing area, and the hands of the caregivers and the children. Sampling was done twice weekly for two 4-week periods. Each center used either cloth or paper diapers during the first period, changing to the other diaper type during the second period., Results: A total of 1722 samples were cultured, 881 during the first 4 weeks and 841 during the second 4 weeks. The frequency of isolation of fecal organisms ranged from a low of 12% of the total bacteria isolates at a center using cloth diapers, to highs of 46% and 45%, respectively, at a center using first paper and then cloth diapers. Sink faucets and the hands of the caregivers and the children were often contaminated., Conclusions: Analysis of the results of comparisons between cloth and paper diapers showed no significant difference in the frequency (F = .380, P < .535) or the intensity of fecal contamination in child day care centers.

We evaluated the acute health effects of a strong emission of malodorous sulfur compounds released from a pulp mill in South Karelia, Finland. The 24-hour ambient air concentrations of hydrogen sulfide for the two emission days were 35 and 43 micrograms/m3 (maximum 4-hour 135 micrograms/m3). A questionnaire was distributed after the high exposure and later after a low exposure period to 29 households with 75 subjects living in the nearby community. During the high exposure, 63% of the respondents reported experience of at least one symptom compared to 26% during the reference period. Every third participant reported difficulties in breathing. In the 45 subjects responding to both questionnaires more eye, respiratory and neuropsychological symptoms occurred during the exposure compared to the reference period. The strong malodorous emission from a pulp mill caused an alarming amount of adverse effects in the exposed population.

As a preliminary step in the investigation of high pancreas-cancer mortality among White males in a cluster of Louisiana parishes, we examined 876 pairs of certificates of death which occurred in this area during 1960--75. The pancreas-cancer death records were matched to controls by age, race, sex, year of death, and parish of residence. The odds ratios were increased about two-fold for workers in the oil refining and paper manufacturing industries, and slight elevations were seen among residents near refineries and food processing plants. Despite the limited residential and occupational information available on death certificates, this study suggests leads to environmental factors that can be further investigated by a case-control interview study in Louisiana.

Wisconsin pulp and paper mill processing plants were evaluated for fecal coliform and total Klebsiella (i.e., thermotolerant and thermointolerant) bacterial concentrations. Using the standard fecal coliform test, up to 90 per cent of non-fecal source thermotolerant K. pneumoniae was falsely identified as fecal source bacteria. Since there is a lack of specificity in the currently used standard for fecal coliform evaluation, a more reliable health risk assessment for fecal coliform bacteria is recommended.