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The aim of the study was to analyze the correlation between the presence of Demodex mites in the hair follicles of patients' eyelashes and the stability and break up time of the tear film assessed with the Non-Invasive Tear Break Up Times (NIBUT) method. 319 patients were included in the study (195 women, 124 men). The patients were divided into two groups: those with Demodex infestation and without visible symptoms of eyelid or eye surface diseases, and asymptomatic non-infested patients. The NIBUT analysis was performed with a 5 M keratograph (oculus). Non-invasive tests were performed to identify the first and mean values of the tear break up time. The first and mean tear break up time in the Demodex-infested group was lower than in the non-infested subjects. The difference was a highly statistically significant. There was a significant correlation with the age of the patients for the first break up time. The first break up time in both eyes decreased with the age of the Demodex-infested and non-infested patients. The NIBUT analyses indicate the impact of Demodex mites on the tear film stability. This may suggest possible association of demodicosis with dry eye syndrome., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Numerous reports point to Demodex mites as the aetiology of certain eye and skin conditions, hence it is highly probable that infestation with these mites may also play a role in the aetiology and pathogenesis of pterygium. Therefore here we present a hypothesis: whether the presence of Demodex mites in eyelash hair follicles significantly correlates with the presence of pterygia, which could point to a potential role of these mites in the development of such lesions. We present preliminary data for supporting this hypothesis. These results were collected from a group of 69 subjects, including 39 with pterygium. Subjects were studied for the presence of Demodex folliculorum and/or D. brevis within eyelash follicles. The sample was defined as positive if at least one parasite, larva or egg were present. Preliminary statistical analyses were performed, and indicated a significant relationship between Demodex mite infestation and the presence of pterygium (p<0.05). This suggests that demodicosis could be one of the factors causing pterygium and significantly contribute to its development. Subjects who had both pterygium and Demodex infestation formed a dominant group. The proportion of subjects with both pterygia and Demodex presence is high at 93.33%, while the proportion of subjects without pterygia who have mites is low at 20.51%. Aforementioned results support our working hypothesis that infestation with Demodex mites may result in pterygium development and therefore patients diagnosed with pterygium should be assessed for the presence of Demodex to verify our preliminary results. In the present paper, we discuss potential influence of Demodex on conjunctiva and propose a hypothetical pathological mechanism linking the development of pterygia with demodicosis., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The aim of the study was to investigate the presence of Demodex in the hair follicles of eyelashes and their potential participation in the aetiology of chalazion in patients in Poland. The study of the correlation between the presence of Demodex spp. and chalazion has never been performed in patients in Europe. There is, therefore, a justified necessity to check whether Demodex mites can be a potential risk factor in the development of chalazion in the European population. The samples were examined by light microscope, using standard parasitological methods. A positive result was assumed in the presence of Demodex spp. Demodex was detected in 91.67% of patients with a chalazion. The presence of Demodex was found in subjects from all examined age groups. The results of statistical analysis unambiguously determined the existence of an interrelationship between the presence of Demodex and chalazion. Our results clearly indicate the existence of a correlation between the occurrence of Demodex spp. and chalazion. Confirmation of the positive correlation between Demodex and chalazion in a European population provides further evidence for the pathogenic role of Demodex in the development of eye diseases.

Demodex mites may be a potential etiological factor in the development of various eye and skin disorders. The aim of the study was to investigate the presence of Demodex in the hair follicles of eyelashes and their potential influence on abandoning soft contact lenses which had been previously well tolerated by their users. A group of 62 users of contact lenses (28 with emerging discomfort and 34 without discomfort) were examined. There is a need to check the existence of a relationship between D. folliculorum or/and D. brevis infestation and the emergence of intolerance to the presence of soft contact lenses. The removed lashes were examined under light microscopy, applying standard parasitological methods if demodicosis is suspected. A positive result was assumed if at least one adult stage, larva, protonymph/nymph, or egg of D. folliculorum and/or D. brevis was present. A positive correlation was observed between the presence of Demodex and intolerance to contact lenses by their existing users (p < 0.05), and Demodex sp. infections were observed in 92.86% of patients with intolerance to contact lenses. Our results provide further evidence for the pathogenic role played by the mites in the development of eye diseases.

Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer deaths around the world. At 12% of all cancer incidents, lung cancer is the most frequent single cause of death, of both males and females. In 2002 among male population in Poland, lung cancer was the second, following heart failure, cause of death, ranging at 8% of deaths in general. It was third cause of death among females ranging at 2.3% in general. Considering cancer deaths in 2002 in Wielkopolska, lung cancer was most frequent cause of death among males (30%) and second frequent among females (10.4%). The last 25 years the number of deaths decreased among younger generation of males (first in the age group 20-44, later in the middle age group) and this phenomenon has dominated the general picture of cancer among males. However the increase of mortality rates in the older age group might be still observed. The constant increase of mortality has been observed among females, especially in the middle age group (45-64). It should be highlighted that the level of mortality has been equalled in both genders in the youngest age group (20-44), which means suddenly growing risk among young population of women in Wielkopolska.

Tobacco smoking is the cause of 30% of deaths among men and 7% among women in Poland. Such data call for detailed analysis. Previous researche on frequency of smoking was focused on the analysis of all-Poland population. The following research was aimed at the description of tobacco smoke exposure in population of Wielkopolska in the late 1990s. Smoking habits in Wielkopolska is more prevalent in men than women and this prevalence is sustained in time. The smoking habit among men decreased during the last 5 years of the 20th century, however it is higher among women (1996: 47.5% men and 27.7% women, 2000: 41.9% men and 29.9% women). The positive fact is the raising percentage of both men and women who give up smoking. The results show that the level of education is a strong predictor of smoking among men: the higher education, the lower percentage of smokers. This relation does not seem to be that obvious in women. The place of living is another factor influencing the percentage of smoking people--the prevalence is lower in cities, especially among men. Presented results show that there are similar changes in smoking habits in Wielkopolska as observed nationwide. The difference concerns slightly lower percentage of tobacco users among men and higher among women in Wielkopolska than in nationwide population. Distribution of involvement of subsequent categories (i.e. gender, age, education and place of living) follow the pattern observed in general population. The knowledge about smoking habits in Wielkopolska forms the ground for actions within the frame of evidence based medicine, systematic assessment of frequency of smoking would allow taking up appropriate preventive actions such as youth education and therapeutic (treatment of smoking habit) actions.

Cancer risk in the Polish-born population of France has been compared to that in Poland and in native French subjects (born in France), using mortality data from the period 1979-1985. The Polish-born community in France is a long-established one--most migration occurred during the 1920s--so that for many cancer sites the cancer pattern is closer to that of French natives than that in Poland (eg oral cavity, oesophagus, large bowel, gall bladder, uterus, leukaemia). Polish migrants, however, retain their characteristically high rates of cancer of the stomach and lung (in men), and low rates of breast and prostate cancer. The Polish-born community has a characteristic pattern of residence (living mainly in the Nord and the Pas-de-Calais) and occupational status (a higher proportion of 'workers' than the French-born); these are important confounding factors which can mask the true differences in risk for several sites (larynx, oesophagus, large bowel) if no adjustment is made during analysis.

An analysis of the mortality for malignant tumors in Poland in 1986 is provided. The most frequent neoplasms noted in Poland were in 1986: in men cancer of the lungs (33.5% of all malignancies), cancer of the stomach (13.4%), prostate (4.8%), and pancreas (4.2%). In women the most frequent were: breast cancer (13.1%), cancer of the stomach (9.6%), lungs (7.8%), and cervix (6.7%). In 1986, significant difference in mortality rate was seen between men and women (prevalence of death in men) and between urban and rural areas (prevalence in urban areas). Moreover, persisting higher mortality rate for malignancies was noted in the western and central regions in comparison to eastern Poland. Mortality rate for malignancies in both men and women is higher in Poland than the average mortality rate in Europe.