Benschop Jackie, Heuer Cord, Jaros Patricia, Collins-Emerson Julie, Midwinter Anne, Wilson Peter
EpiCentre, Institute of Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
N Z Med J. 2009 Dec 11;122(1307):39-47.
To undertake a pilot study to measure the sero-prevalence to Leptospira serovars Hardjo and Pomona in an occupationally exposed group. To evaluate worker age, sex and previous clinical episodes of leptospirosis as risk factors for sero-positivity.
A cross-sectional sero-prevalence study was conducted in February and March 2008 at a predominantly sheep slaughterhouse in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. A single blood sample was collected from 242 meatworkers, comprising 145 men and 97 women. Sera were tested by the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) with a titre cut point of 1:24, using serovars Pomona and Hardjo as antigens. Age, sex, and details of previous clinical episodes of leptospirosis were recorded.
Overall sero-prevalence was 9.5%. Ten (4.1%) workers were positive to serovar Hardjo (titres 1:24-1:192), 13 (5.4%) were positive to serovar Pomona (titres 1:24-1:768), and one worker was positive for both serovars. Sero-prevalence was 13.1% and 4.1% in men and women, respectively. The median age for sero-positive workers was 54 years while that for sero-negative workers was 48 years. Twenty-three workers (9.5%) reported a leptospirosis disease episode 1-35 years previously, and 14 of those were sero-positive in the current study.
The sero-prevalence observed suggests significant exposure to leptospirosis from sheep in meatworkers in the slaughterhouse studied. This sero-prevalence was similar to that reported in a survey in 1982. Further study is needed to determine the link between sero-prevalence and incidence, whether the prevalence of leptospirosis is similar in other slaughterhouses, and to develop a better understanding of risk factors important for the reduction of exposure of this occupationally acquired disease.
开展一项试点研究,以测量职业暴露人群中钩端螺旋体哈德乔血清型和波摩那血清型的血清流行率。评估工人年龄、性别以及既往钩端螺旋体病临床发作情况作为血清阳性的危险因素。
2008年2月和3月在新西兰霍克湾一家以屠宰羊为主的屠宰场进行了一项横断面血清流行率研究。从242名肉类加工工人中采集了一份血样,其中包括145名男性和97名女性。血清通过显微镜凝集试验(MAT)进行检测,以波摩那血清型和哈德乔血清型作为抗原,滴度切点为1:24。记录年龄、性别以及既往钩端螺旋体病临床发作的详细情况。
总体血清流行率为9.5%。10名(4.1%)工人对哈德乔血清型呈阳性(滴度为1:24至1:192),13名(5.4%)工人对波摩那血清型呈阳性(滴度为1:24至1:768),1名工人对两种血清型均呈阳性。男性和女性的血清流行率分别为13.1%和4.1%。血清阳性工人的年龄中位数为54岁,血清阴性工人的年龄中位数为48岁。23名工人(占9.5%)报告在1至35年前有过钩端螺旋体病发作,其中14名在本研究中血清呈阳性。
观察到的血清流行率表明,在所研究的屠宰场肉类加工工人中,存在显著的羊源性钩端螺旋体暴露。该血清流行率与1982年一项调查中报告的相似。需要进一步研究以确定血清流行率与发病率之间的联系,其他屠宰场的钩端螺旋体病流行率是否相似,并更好地了解对于减少这种职业性获得疾病暴露至关重要的危险因素。