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Original Article
Seroreactivity to Q Fever Among Slaughterhouse Workers in South Korea
Hyuk Chu, Seok-Ju Yoo, Kyu-Jam Hwang, Hyun-Sul Lim, Kwan Lee, Mi-Yeoun Park
J Prev Med Public Health. 2017;50(3):195-200.   Published online May 11, 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.17.017
  • 7,038 View
  • 169 Download
  • 13 Crossref
AbstractAbstract PDF
Objectives
Q fever is a zoonotic disease that occurs worldwide; however, little is known about its prevalence in South Korea. We attempted to determine the prevalence of Q fever seroreactivity among Korean slaughterhouse workers and the risk factors for seroreactivity according to the type of work.
Methods
The study was conducted among 1503 workers at a total of 73 slaughterhouses and 62 residual-product disposal plants. During the study period, sites were visited and surveys were administered to employees involved in slaughterhouse work, and serological tests were performed on blood samples by indirect immunofluorescence assays. Serological samples were grouped by job classification into those of slaughter workers, residual-product handlers, inspectors and inspection assistants, and grading testers and testing assistants. Employee risk factors were analyzed according to the type of work.
Results
Out of 1481 study subjects who provided a blood sample, 151 (10.2%) showed reactive antibodies. When these results were analyzed in accordance with the type of work, the result of slaughter workers (11.3%) was similar to the result of residual-product handlers (11.4%), and the result of inspectors and assistants (5.3%) was similar to the result of grading testers and assistants (5.4%). Among those who answered in the affirmative to the survey question, “Has there been frequent contact between cattle blood and your mouth while working?” the proportions were 13.4 and 4.6%, respectively, and this was identified as a risk factor that significantly varied between job categories among slaughterhouse workers.
Conclusions
This study found a Q fever seroreactivity rate of 10.2% for slaughterhouse workers, who are known to be a high-risk population. Contact with cattle blood around the mouth while working was the differential risk factor between job categories among slaughterhouse workers.
Summary

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Q Fever in Greece and Factors of Exposure: A Multiregional Seroprevalence Study
    Magdalini K Christodoulou, Konstantinos Tsaras, Charalambos Billinis, Konstantinos I Gourgoulianis, Dimitrios Papagiannis
    Cureus.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Prevalence and risk factors associated with Q fever infection in slaughterhouse workers in Fars province, Iran
    Alireza Zakeri, Maryam Montaseri, Seyed Shahram Shekarforoush
    International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health.2023; 96(4): 597.     CrossRef
  • First report of an outbreak of “Q” fever IN an abattoir from Argentina
    Natalia Marina Cardillo, Reginaldo Bastos, Araceli García, Rosendo Pérez, Ezequiel García, Susana Lloveras, Carlos Suarez
    Zoonoses and Public Health.2023; 70(8): 674.     CrossRef
  • Seroepidemiologic evidence of Q fever and associated factors among workers in veterinary service laboratory in South Korea
    Dilaram Acharya, Ji-Hyuk Park, Jeong-Hoon Chun, Mi Yeon Kim, Seok-Ju Yoo, Antoine Lewin, Kwan Lee, José Reck
    PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.2022; 16(2): e0010054.     CrossRef
  • Exposure of South African Abattoir Workers to Coxiella burnetii
    Liesl De Boni, Sumaya Mall, Veerle Msimang, Alex de Voux, Jennifer Rossouw, John Frean
    Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease.2022; 7(2): 28.     CrossRef
  • Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in a dairy cattle herd from the Al Ain region, United Arab Emirates
    Robert Barigye, Nabeeha Abdelgaleel D. Hassan, Ibrahim M. Abdalla Alfaki, Mike B. Barongo, Mohamed Elfatih H. Mohamed, Khaja Mohteshamuddin
    Tropical Animal Health and Production.2021;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Seroreactivity to Coxiella burnetii in an Agricultural Population and Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii Infection in Ticks of a Non-Endemic Region for Q Fever in South Korea
    Jeong-Rae Yoo, Mi-Sun Kim, Sang-Taek Heo, Hyun-Joo Oh, Jung-Hwan Oh, Seo-Young Ko, Jeong-Ho Kang, Sung-Kgun Lee, Woo-Seong Jeong, Gil-Myeong Seong, Hyun-Jung Lee, Chul-Hoo Kang, Ji-Hyun Moon, Keun-Hwa Lee, Sung-Wook Song
    Pathogens.2021; 10(10): 1337.     CrossRef
  • Isolation of Coxiella burnetii in patients with nonspecific febrile illness in South Korea
    Seung Hun Lee, Jae Hoon Lee, Sungdo Park, Hae Kyung Lee, Seon Do Hwang, Hye Won Jeong, Jung Yeon Heo, Yeong Seon Lee
    BMC Infectious Diseases.2020;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Coxiella burnetiiinfection in humans: to what extent do cattle in infected areas free from small ruminants play a role?
    M. Pouquet, N. Bareille, R. Guatteo, L. Moret, F. Beaudeau
    Epidemiology and Infection.2020;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Hepatitis in slaughterhouse workers
    Hassan Tariq, Muhammad Umar Kamal, Jasbir Makker, Sara Azam, Usman Ali Pirzada, Vaniza Mehak, Kishore Kumar, Harish Patel
    World Journal of Hepatology.2019; 11(1): 37.     CrossRef
  • Clinical characteristics of acute Q fever patients in South Korea and time from symptom onset to serologic diagnosis
    Jung Yeon Heo, Young Wha Choi, Eun Jin Kim, Seung Hun Lee, Seung Kwan Lim, Seon Do Hwang, Ju Young Lee, Hye Won Jeong
    BMC Infectious Diseases.2019;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Serologic Survey and Risk Factors forCoxiella burnetiiInfection among Dairy Cattle Farmers in Korea
    Ji-Hyuk Park, Hyuk Chu, Seok-Ju Yoo, Kyu-Jam Hwang, Hyun-Sul Lim
    Journal of Korean Medical Science.2018;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Seroreactivity and Risk Factors Associated with Coxiella burnetii Infection among Cattle Slaughterhouse Workers in South Korea
    Ji-Hyuk Park, Seon Do Hwang, Dilaram Acharya, Seung Hun Lee, Kyu Jam Hwang, Seok-Ju Yoo, Kwan Lee
    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2018; 15(10): 2264.     CrossRef
English Abstract
Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Brucellosis among Slaughterhouse Workers in Korea.
Seok Ju Yoo, Young Sill Choi, Hyun Sul Lim, Kwan Lee, Mi Yeoun Park, Chaeshin Chu, Young A Kang
J Prev Med Public Health. 2009;42(4):237-242.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2009.42.4.237
  • 6,127 View
  • 69 Download
  • 13 Crossref
AbstractAbstract PDF
OBJECTIVES
The incidence of zoonoses in Korea has increased recently. However, the study of high risk groups for zoonoses has not been conducted to date in Korea. Thus, we did this study to obtain data on brucellosis among slaughterhouse workers in Korea. METHODS: We evaluated the structure of slaughterhouses and the process of slaughtering by reviewing the relevant literature and doing field studies. We visited 73 slaughterhouses and 62 residual products handle houses across the country. In addition, we conducted a questionnaire survey of the work activities, and obtained blood samples in order to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of brucellosis. The titers of brucellosis antibodies were measured using the standard tube agglutination test (SAT). We diagnosed subjects as seropositive for Brucellosis if the titers were more than 1:160. The data collected was evaluated using SPSS ver. 17.0. RESULTS: We included 1,503 subjects and obtained 1,482 blood samples among them: 849 workers involved in slaughtering, 351 handlers of residual products, 190 inspectors and their assistants, and 92 grading testers and their assistants. The seroprevalence of brucellosis among the slaughterhouse workers was 0.8% (95% CI=0.4-1.5). Broken down, the seroprevalence of brucellosis among the workers involved in slaughtering was 0.7% (95% CI=0.3-1.6), the handlers of residual products was 1.7% (95% CI=0.7-3.9) respectively. Risk factors for contracting brucellosis among slaughterhouse workers were being splashed with cattle blood around the mouth, cattle secretions around the body and not putting on protective apron while at work. CONCLUSIONS: An educational program is needed for high risk groups on zoonoses about the prevention of infection. Thus, effective working guidelines for workers who participate in the slaughter of animals must be developed in order to protect them from zoonoses.
Summary

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Seroepidemiologic evidence of Q fever and associated factors among workers in veterinary service laboratory in South Korea
    Dilaram Acharya, Ji-Hyuk Park, Jeong-Hoon Chun, Mi Yeon Kim, Seok-Ju Yoo, Antoine Lewin, Kwan Lee, José Reck
    PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.2022; 16(2): e0010054.     CrossRef
  • Occupational exposure to livestock and risk of tuberculosis and brucellosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
    M. Mukthar Mia, Mahamudul Hasan, Faija Sadia Pory
    One Health.2022; 15: 100432.     CrossRef
  • The impact of expanded brucellosis surveillance in beef cattle on human brucellosis in Korea: an interrupted time-series analysis
    Sukhyun Ryu, Ricardo J. Soares Magalhães, Byung Chul Chun
    BMC Infectious Diseases.2019;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Spatial analysis to assess the relationship between human and bovine brucellosis in South Korea, 2005–2010
    Jun-Sik Lim, Kyung-Duk Min, Sukhyun Ryu, Seung-Sik Hwang, Sung-Il Cho
    Scientific Reports.2019;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Obituary: Dr. Hyun-Sul Lim’s (1952-2018) life as an epidemiologist, occupational and environmental medicine researcher, and family physician
    Sun Huh
    Epidemiology and Health.2018; 40: e2018033.     CrossRef
  • Vaccination of goats with a combinationSalmonellavector expressing fourBrucellaantigens (BLS, PrpA, Omp19, and SOD) confers protection againstBrucella abortusinfection
    Mwense Leya, Won Kyong Kim, Jeong Sang Cho, Eun-Chae Yu, Young-Jee Kim, Yoonhwan Yeo, Kwang-Soo Lyoo, Myeon-Sik Yang, Sang-Seop Han, John Hwa Lee, Dongseob Tark, Jin Hur, Bumseok Kim
    Journal of Veterinary Science.2018; 19(5): 643.     CrossRef
  • Seroreactivity and Risk Factors Associated with Human Brucellosis among Cattle Slaughterhouse Workers in South Korea
    Dilaram Acharya, Seon Do Hwang, Ji-Hyuk Park
    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2018; 15(11): 2396.     CrossRef
  • Seroprevalence of Brucellosis, Leptospirosis, and Q Fever among Butchers and Slaughterhouse Workers in South-Eastern Iran
    Saber Esmaeili, Saied Reza Naddaf, Behzad Pourhossein, Abdolrazagh Hashemi Shahraki, Fahimeh Bagheri Amiri, Mohammad Mehdi Gouya, Ehsan Mostafavi, Jonas Waldenström
    PLOS ONE.2016; 11(1): e0144953.     CrossRef
  • Epidemiology of brucellosis among cattle in Korea from 2001 to 2011
    Hachung Yoon, Oun-Kyong Moon, Soo-Han Lee, Won-Chang Lee, Moon Her, Wooseog Jeong, Suk-Chan Jung, Do-Soon Kim
    Journal of Veterinary Science.2014; 15(4): 537.     CrossRef
  • Awareness on Zoonoses among Pig Farmers in Korea
    Seok-Ju Yoo, Hyun-Sul Lim, Kwan Lee
    Journal of agricultural medicine and community health.2014; 39(4): 222.     CrossRef
  • Time series analysis of human and bovine brucellosis in South Korea from 2005 to 2010
    Hu Suk Lee, Moon Her, Michael Levine, George E. Moore
    Preventive Veterinary Medicine.2013; 110(2): 190.     CrossRef
  • Biossegurança no trabalho em frigoríficos: da margem do lucro à margem da segurança
    Gabriela Chaves Marra, Luciana Hugue de Souza, Telma Abdalla de Oliveira Cardoso
    Ciência & Saúde Coletiva.2013; 18(11): 3259.     CrossRef
  • Occupational exposure assessment using antibody levels: exposure to avian leukosis/sarcoma viruses in the poultry industry
    Kyung-Mee Choi, Eric S. Johnson
    International Journal of Environmental Health Research.2011; 21(4): 306.     CrossRef

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