Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
BMC Public Health. 2010 Mar 10;10:122. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-122.
Hygiene inspections on passenger ships are important for the prevention of communicable diseases. The European Union (EU) countries conduct hygiene inspections on passenger ships in order to ensure that appropriate measures have been taken to eliminate potential sources of contamination which could lead to the spread of communicable diseases. This study was implemented within the framework of the EU SHIPSAN project and it investigates the legislation applied and practices of hygiene inspections of passenger ships in the EU Member States (MS) and European Free Trade Association countries.
Two questionnaires were composed and disseminated to 28 countries. A total of 92 questionnaires were completed by competent authorities responsible for hygiene inspections (n = 48) and the creation of legislation (n = 44); response rates were 96%, and 75.9%, respectively.
Out of the 48 responding authorities responsible for hygiene inspections, a routine programme was used by 19 (39.6%) of these to conduct inspections of ships on national voyages and by 26 (54.2%) for ships on international voyages. Standardised inspection forms are used by 59.1% of the authorities. A scoring inspection system is applied by five (11.6%) of the 43 responding authorities. Environmental sampling is conducted by 84.1% of the authorities (37 out of 44). The inspection results are collected and analysed by 54.5% (24 out of 44) of the authorities, while 9 authorities (20.5%) declared that they publish the results. Inspections are conducted during outbreak investigations by 75% and 70.8% of the authorities, on ships on national and international voyages, respectively. A total of 31 (64.6%) and 39 (81.3%) authorities conducted inspections during complaint investigations on ships on international and on national voyages, respectively. Port-to-port communication between the national port authorities was reported by 35.4% (17 out of 48) of the responding authorities and 20.8% (10 out of 48) of the port authorities of other countries.
This study revealed a diversity of approaches and practices in the conduct of inspections, differences in the qualifications/knowledge/experience of inspectors, the legislation applied during inspections, and the lack of communication and training among many EU countries. An integrated European inspection programme involving competent expert inspectors in each EU Member States and special training for ship hygiene delivered to crew members and inspectors would help to minimize the risk of communicable diseases. Common inspection tools at a European level for hygiene inspection practices and port-to-port communication are needed.
对客船进行卫生检查对于预防传染病非常重要。欧盟国家对客船进行卫生检查，以确保已采取适当措施消除可能导致传染病传播的潜在污染源。本研究是在欧盟 SHIPSAN 项目框架内进行的，调查了欧盟成员国（MS）和欧洲自由贸易联盟国家对客船卫生检查的立法和实践。
编制了两份问卷并分发给 28 个国家。共有 92 份问卷由负责卫生检查的主管当局（n=48）和立法制定者（n=44）填写；响应率分别为 96%和 75.9%。
在 48 个负责卫生检查的主管当局中，有 19 个（39.6%）当局对国内航行的船舶进行例行检查，26 个（54.2%）对国际航行的船舶进行例行检查。59.1%的主管当局使用标准化的检查表格。有 5 个（11.6%）主管当局采用评分检查系统。84.1%的主管当局进行环境采样（44 个中的 37 个）。54.5%（24 个中的 44 个）的主管当局收集和分析检查结果，而 9 个主管当局（20.5%）宣布他们公布结果。75%和 70.8%的主管当局在国内和国际航行的船舶上进行暴发调查期间进行检查，分别为 75%和 70.8%。在国际和国内航行的船舶上，分别有 31 个（64.6%）和 39 个（81.3%）主管当局在投诉调查期间进行检查。在 48 个回应主管当局中，有 35.4%（17 个）和其他国家的 48 个港口主管当局中的 20.8%（10 个）报告了国家港口主管当局之间的港口到港口的通信。
本研究揭示了在进行检查时存在的方法和实践的多样性，检查中检查员的资格/知识/经验存在差异，应用的立法以及许多欧盟国家之间缺乏沟通和培训。在每个欧盟成员国中涉及合格专家检查员的综合欧洲检查方案和向船员和检查员提供的船舶卫生特别培训，将有助于最大限度地降低传染病的风险。需要在欧洲一级使用共同的检查工具，以规范卫生检查实践和港口到港口的通信。
