Research | Forskning - peer review

Contaminants, such as heavy metals (HMs), accumulate in the Arctic environment and the food web. The diet of the Indigenous Peoples of North Greenland includes locally sourced foods that are central to their nutritional, cultural, and societal health but these foods also contain high concentrations… Contaminants, such as heavy metals (HMs), accumulate in the Arctic environment and the food web. The diet of the Indigenous Peoples of North Greenland includes locally sourced foods that are central to their nutritional, cultural, and societal health but these foods also contain high concentrations of heavy metals. While bacteria play an essential role in the metabolism of xenobiotics, there are limited studies on the impact of heavy metals on the human gut microbiome, and it is so far unknown if and how Arctic environmental contaminants impact the gut microbes of humans living in and off the Arctic environment. Using a multiomics approach including amplicon, metagenome, and metatranscriptome sequencing, we identified and assembled a near-complete (NC) genome of a mercury-resistant bacterial strain from the human gut microbiome, which expressed genes known to reduce mercury toxicity. At the overall ecological level studied through α- and β-diversity, there was no significant effect of heavy metals on the gut microbiota. Through the assembly of a high number of NC metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of human gut microbes, we observed an almost complete overlap between heavy metal-resistant strains and antibiotic-resistant strains in which resistance genes were all located on the same genetic elements. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

Hyperthyroidism was frequent among Inuit and the occurrence of hypothyroidism was low. The pattern of hyper- and hypothyroidism among Greenlandic Inuit with adequate iodine intake was comparable with those seen in populations with iodine deficiency. Inuit may thus have adapted to excessive iodine in… Hyperthyroidism was frequent among Inuit and the occurrence of hypothyroidism was low. The pattern of hyper- and hypothyroidism among Greenlandic Inuit with adequate iodine intake was comparable with those seen in populations with iodine deficiency. Inuit may thus have adapted to excessive iodine intake over centuries, causing a need for a higher iodine intake to prevent iodine deficiency disorders. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

The foods we eat contain microorganisms that we ingest alongside the food. Industrialized food systems offer great advantages from a safety point of view, but have also been accused of depleting the diversity of the human microbiota with negative implications for human health. In contrast, artisanal… The foods we eat contain microorganisms that we ingest alongside the food. Industrialized food systems offer great advantages from a safety point of view, but have also been accused of depleting the diversity of the human microbiota with negative implications for human health. In contrast, artisanal traditional foods are potential sources of a diverse food microbiota. Traditional foods of the Greenlandic Inuit are comprised of animal-sourced foods prepared in the natural environment and are often consumed raw. These foods, some of which are on the verge of extinction, have not previously been microbiologically character- ized. We mapped the microbiota of foods stemming from traditional Inuit land-based hunting activities. The foods included in the current study are dried muskox and caribou meat, cari- bou rumen and intestinal content as well as larval parasites from caribou hides, all traditional Inuit foods. This study shows that traditional drying methods are efficient for limiting micro- bial growth through desiccation. The results also show the rumen content of the caribou to be a highly diverse source of microbes with potential for degradation of plants. Finally, a number of parasites were shown to be included in the biodiversity of the assessed traditional foods. Taken together, the results map out a diverse source of ingested microbes and para- sites that originate from the natural environment. These results have implications for under- standing the nature-sourced traditional Inuit diet, which is in contrast to current day diet recommendations as well as modern industrialized food systems. Read more

Communication | Formidling - peer review

Gennem de seneste årtier er den sociale ulighed i Grønland steget. Velfærdsinstitutionerne har overtaget mange ansvarsområder som før var familiernes, hvilket kan true børns trivsel og sundhed, dels fordi der er behov for at forældre også tager ansvar, dels fordi velfærdsinstitutioners logik er at b… Gennem de seneste årtier er den sociale ulighed i Grønland steget. Velfærdsinstitutionerne har overtaget mange ansvarsområder som før var familiernes, hvilket kan true børns trivsel og sundhed, dels fordi der er behov for at forældre også tager ansvar, dels fordi velfærdsinstitutioners logik er at behandle sig ud af problemer. Kapitlets pointe er at institutionerne må påtage sig opgaven med at inddrage forældrene og den øvrige lokalbefolkning i løsningen af velfærdsproblemer med fokus på lokale ressourcer, det vil sige gennem sundhedsfremmende tiltag. På den måde kan institutionerne støtte befolkningen i at tage del i ansvaret for sundhed og trivsel på længere sigt. Dette kræver samarbejde mellem befolkningen, institutionerne, organisationerne og forskningen om at skabe selvforvaltning og et godt liv i lokalsamfundene. Read more

Communication | Formidling - peer review

Sundhedsforskning i Grønland rummer udfordringer som vestlige videnskabsetiske retningslinjer har svært ved at håndtere på en måde så forskningen kan medvirke til at forbedre befolkningens sundhedstilstand. Koloniseringen i Grønland har, ligesom kolonisering blandt oprindelige befolkninger andre ste… Sundhedsforskning i Grønland rummer udfordringer som vestlige videnskabsetiske retningslinjer har svært ved at håndtere på en måde så forskningen kan medvirke til at forbedre befolkningens sundhedstilstand. Koloniseringen i Grønland har, ligesom kolonisering blandt oprindelige befolkninger andre steder i verden, medført sociale problemer som følge af blandt andet tab af identitet og værdier samt ansvarsfratagelse. Vestligt orienterede sundhedssystemer, med deres fokus på helbred og behandling, kan vanskeligt inddrage sociokulturelle faktorers betydning for livskvalitet, og tilgangen stemmer dårligt overens med befolkningens værdier og opfattelser af et godt liv. Ligesom sundhedsvæsenet er også sundhedsforskningen behandlingsorienteret. Derfor er der brug for at uddanne grønlandske forskere fordi de med deres kendskab til landet og befolkningen kan sætte helbredsproblemer ind i deres sociokulturelle sammenhænge og på den måde forske på et etisk forsvarligt grundlag. Denne forskningsmæssige kapacitetsopbygning foregår bl.a. i samarbejde med udenlandske forskere i regi af Grønlands Center for Sundhedsforskning ved Ilisimatusarfik. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

The practices of preparing traditional foods in the Arctic are rapidly disappearing. Traditional foods of the Arctic represent a rarity among food studies in that they are meat-sourced and prepared in non-industrial settings. These foods, generally consumed without any heating step prior to consumpt… The practices of preparing traditional foods in the Arctic are rapidly disappearing. Traditional foods of the Arctic represent a rarity among food studies in that they are meat-sourced and prepared in non-industrial settings. These foods, generally consumed without any heating step prior to consumption, harbor an insofar undescribed microbiome. The food-associated microbiomes have implications not only with respect to disease risk, but might also positively influence host health by transferring a yet unknown diversity of live microbes to the human gastrointestinal tract. Here we report the first study of the microbial composition of traditionally dried fish prepared according to Greenlandic traditions and their industrial counterparts. We show that dried capelin prepared according to traditional methods have microbiomes clearly different from industrially prepared capelin, which also have more homogenous microbiomes than traditionally prepared capelin. Interestingly, the locally preferred type of traditionally dried capelin, described to be tastier than other traditionally dried capelin, contains bacteria that potentially confer distinct taste. Finally, we show that dried cod have comparably more homogenous microbiomes when compared to capelin and that in general, the environment of drying is a major determinant of the microbial composition of these indigenous food products. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

Zoonotic infections transmitted from marine mammals to humans in the Baltic and European Arctic are of unknown significance, despite given considerable potential for transmission due to local hunt. Here we present results of an initial screening for Brucella spp. in Arctic and Baltic seal species. B… Zoonotic infections transmitted from marine mammals to humans in the Baltic and European Arctic are of unknown significance, despite given considerable potential for transmission due to local hunt. Here we present results of an initial screening for Brucella spp. in Arctic and Baltic seal species. Baltic ringed seals (Pusa hispida, n = 12) sampled in October 2015 and Greenland Sea harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus, n = 6) and hooded seals (Cystophora cristata, n = 3) sampled in March 2015 were serologically analysed for antibodies against Brucella spp. The serological analyses were performed using the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) followed by a confirmatory testing of RBT-positive samples by a competitive-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (C-ELISA). Two of the Baltic ringed seals (a juvenile male and a juvenile female) were seropositive thus indicating previous exposure to a Brucella spp. The findings indicate that ringed seals in the Baltic ecosystem may be exposed to and possibly infected by Brucella spp. No seropositive individuals were detected among the Greenland harp and hooded seals. Although our initial screening shows a zoonotic hazard to Baltic locals, a more in-depth epidemiological investigation is needed in order to determine the human risk associated with this. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

For the last two and a half decades, a network of human health experts under the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) has produced several human health assessment reports. These reports have provided a base of scientific knowledge regarding environmental contaminants and their impact on h… For the last two and a half decades, a network of human health experts under the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) has produced several human health assessment reports. These reports have provided a base of scientific knowledge regarding environmental contaminants and their impact on human health in the Arctic. These reports provide scientific information and policy-relevant recommendations to Arctic governments. They also support international agreements such as the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Key topics discussed in this paper regarding future human health research in the circumpolar Arctic are continued contaminant biomonitoring, health effects research and risk communication. The objective of this paper is to describe knowledge gaps and future priorities for these fields. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

Zoonotic infections transmitted from terrestrial and marine mammals to humans in European Arctic are of unknown significance, despite considerable potential for transmission due to local hunt and a rapidly changing environment. As an example, infection with Brucella bacteria may have significant imp… Zoonotic infections transmitted from terrestrial and marine mammals to humans in European Arctic are of unknown significance, despite considerable potential for transmission due to local hunt and a rapidly changing environment. As an example, infection with Brucella bacteria may have significant impact on human health due to consumption of raw meat or otherwise contact with tissues and fluids of infected game species such as muskoxen and polar bears. Here, we present serological results for Baffin Bay polar bears (Ursus maritimus) (n = 96) and North East Greenland muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) (n = 32) for antibodies against Brucella spp. The analysis was a two-step trial initially using the Rose Bengal Test (RBT), followed by confirmative competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of RBT-positive samples. No muskoxen had antibodies against Brucella spp., while antibodies were detected in six polar bears (6.25%) rendering a seroprevalence in line with previous findings in other Arctic regions. Seropositivity was not related to sex, age or biometrics i.e. size and body condition. Whether Brucella spp. antibodies found in polar bears were due to either prey spill over or true recurrent Brucella spp. infections is unknown. Our results therefore highlight the importance of further research into the zoonotic aspects of Brucella spp. infections, and the impact on wildlife and human health in the Arctic region. Read more