Public health reports
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Public health reports · May 2008
Protecting poultry workers from exposure to avian influenza viruses.
Emerging zoonotic diseases are of increasing regional and global importance. Preventing occupational exposure to zoonotic diseases protects workers as well as their families, communities, and the public health. Workers can be protected from zoonotic diseases most effectively by preventing and controlling diseases in animals, reducing workplace exposures, and educating workers. ⋯ Critical components of worker protection include educating employers and training poultry workers about occupational exposure to avian influenza viruses. Other recommendations for protecting poultry workers include the use of good hygiene and work practices, personal protective clothing and equipment, vaccination for seasonal influenza viruses, antiviral medication, and medical surveillance. Current recommendations for protecting poultry workers from exposure to avian influenza viruses are summarized in this article.
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Public health reports · May 2008
The animal-human interface and infectious disease in industrial food animal production: rethinking biosecurity and biocontainment.
Understanding interactions between animals and humans is critical in preventing outbreaks of zoonotic disease. This is particularly important for avian influenza. Food animal production has been transformed since the 1918 influenza pandemic. ⋯ There is substantial evidence of pathogen movement between and among these industrial facilities, release to the external environment, and exposure to farm workers, which challenges the assumption that modern poultry production is more biosecure and biocontained as compared with backyard or small holder operations in preventing introduction and release of pathogens. An analysis of data from the Thai government investigation in 2004 indicates that the odds of H5N1 outbreaks and infections were significantly higher in large-scale commercial poultry operations as compared with backyard flocks. These data suggest that successful strategies to prevent or mitigate the emergence of pandemic avian influenza must consider risk factors specific to modern industrialized food animal production.
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Public health reports · Mar 2008
Health status and access to health care of migrant workers in China.
We explored living and working conditions, health status, and health-care access in Chinese rural-to-urban migrants and compared them with permanent rural and urban residents. ⋯ These migrants demonstrated the "healthy migrant effect." However, poor living conditions and inattention to health may make migrants vulnerable to poor long-term health. Because health insurance schemes will remain limited for the forseeable future, attention should focus on providing affordable health care to both uninsured migrants and the urban poor.
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Public health reports · Nov 2007
Respiratory protection programs for firefighters: a survey of practices for the state of Kentucky.
Firefighters play a crucial role as first responders in a variety of situations that can expose them to respiratory hazards. To ensure their safety and health, fire departments should have a respiratory protection program in place for all firefighters. A survey of Kentucky fire departments was conducted to assess their respiratory protection practices, barriers to program implementation, and medical evaluation programs. ⋯ This survey indicates that many Kentucky fire departments are not meeting the legal and voluntary respiratory protection standards and guidelines, and demonstrates the need for improved education and funding to ensure that firefighters are adequately protected from respiratory hazards. This is particularly applicable to small rural volunteer departments, which had the greatest gap in compliance.