Introduction: Workers in hospitals are exposed to various occupational hazards such as high level disinfectants (HLD).
Disinfection is an essential component of the endoscope reprocessing. In the Endoscopy Unit of Queen Elizabeth Hospital,
Succindialdehyde (SA) is used as the disinfectant for endoscope reprocessing. SA has properties that are similar to formaldehyde
in regard to contact allergies and toxicity. The purpose of this case study is to describe the occurrence of work related symptoms
(WRS), the proper use of personal protective attire (PPE) and the need of pre-employment health enquiries for those exposed to SA.
Methodology: This was a cross sectional case study. Twenty eight gastrointestinal assistants (GIA) from the thirty two exposed staff
working with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Endoscopy Unit, who fulfilled the study criteria, were given a modified Respiratory
Surveillance Questionnaire. This questionnaireis used as the health surveillance tool for the staff exposed to the occupational
respiratory hazard by the Occupational Health Unit, University of Edinburgh. Results: Most of the GIAs complained of headache
(85.7%), skin irritations (60.7%) followed by 57.1% watery eyes, wheeziness and runny nose. Majority (92.9%) of the GIAs wore
personal protective equipment (PPE) during the disinfection procedure. Pre-employment enquiries regarding asthma, skin and
mucosal sensitivity problems and lung function were not made to any of the GIAs. Only 14.3% of them do annual health surveillances.
Conclusion: Most of the GIAs, 92.9% experienced at least one WRS despite wearing PPE. Staff exposed to the chemical disinfectants
should wear proper PPE and do annual health surveillances. By practising this, we may avoid WRS and treat the staff accordingly.
Senescence and autophagy play important roles in homeostasis. Cellular senescence and autophagy commonly cause several degenerative processes, including oxidative stress, DNA damage, telomere shortening, and oncogenic stress; hence, both events are known to be interrelated. Autophagy is well known for its disruptive effect on human diseases, and it is currently proposed to have a direct effect on triggering senescence and quiescence. However, it is yet to be proven whether autophagy has a positive or negative impact on senescence. It is known that elevated levels of autophagy induce cell death, whereas inadequate autophagy can trigger cellular senescence. Both have important roles in human diseases such as aging, renal degeneration, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the relevance of senescence and autophagy in selected human ailments through a summary of recent findings on the connection and effects of autophagy and senescence in these diseases.