Antoon De Schryver

Hepatitis B and influenza vaccines: Important occupational vaccines differently perceived among medical students

Healthcare personnel (HCP) are at risk from occupational exposure to airborne and bloodborne pathogens, and the risk of infection among HCP is greater than among the general population. The aim of the study was to characterize attitudes toward occupational recommended vaccines as well as the perception of risks of occupationally acquired infections. We surveyed 650 medical students to assess their perception of influenza and hepatitis B and their opinions and beliefs about influenza and hepatitis B vaccines. We found differences between pre-clinical and clinical students regarding the uptake of influenza and hepatitis B vaccines, about the chances of being occupationally infected with influenza or hepatitis B, and about the likelihood of suffering from severe side-effects following immunization. Interestingly, the risk perception varied drastically between the two vaccine-preventable diseases hepatitis B and influenza. Medical students rated the probability of contracting hepatitis B due to a work-related exposure and the severity of disease significantly higher than for influenza, and this may be an explanation for the greater acceptance of the hepatitis B vaccine. Furthermore, our findings suggest that medical students are frequently inaccurate in assessing their own risk level, and their specific knowledge about both diseases and the severity of these diseases proved to be unsatisfactory.

Work-related health symptoms among compost facility workers: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundIndustrial composting is a relatively new and expanding activity. Several studies indicate that compost workers are at risk to develop health symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of work-related health symptoms among compost workers compared with control subjects.MethodsA questionnaire was distributed among 62 workers (31 exposed and 31 non-exposed workers). Data were analyzed using simple and multiple logistic regression analyses.ResultsWorkers exposed to organic dust reported significantly more often respiratory, irritation (e.g., eyes, nose and throat), gastrointestinal, and skin symptoms than the non-exposed group. Moreover, all work-related symptoms were significantly more often reported by exposed than non-exposed workers. After adjustment for smoking status and age, the associations between exposure and respiratory, gastrointestinal, and skin symptoms remained statistically significant, in particular if these symptoms were work-related.ConclusionsThis study confirms that workers at compost facilities are at risk to develop occupational health problems, most likely related to organic dust exposure.

Work-related Helicobacter pylori infection among sewage workers in municipal wastewater treatment plants in Belgium

Introduction Most studies among sewage workers of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have found a higher prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms than among non-sewage exposed workers. Waterborne transmission of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) has been hypothesised, as the bacteria can survive into an aqueous environment and has been detected in sewage. A health and hygiene questionnaire has demonstrated a higher prevalence of peptic ulcers among Belgian WWTP operators and maintenance workers than among non-sewage exposed colleagues. Objectives To assess the seroprevalence of H pylori infection in Belgian sewage workers at municipal WWTPs, and to determine whether sewage exposure is an important risk factor for acquisition of H pylori and the possible association with gastrointestinal symptoms. Methods A seroprevalence study of H pylori antibodies was conducted among 317 WWTP employees (operators, maintenance workers, laboratory personnel, other job). Information about demographic variables, possible H pylori risk factors, working history, and history of current gastrointestinal symptoms during last 3 months was obtained by a questionnaire. The presence of H pylori IgG was investigated with an ELISA. The results were compared with those of 250 employees of a pharmaceutical company (operators, maintenance workers, laboratory personnel). Results The prevalence of H pylori IgG antibodies among sewage workers was 16.7% (95% CI 12.6 to 20.8%) compared to 13.6% (95% CI 9.4 to 17.8%) among the control group. In a logistic regression model with controlling for age and educational levels, OR study/control group was 1.02 (95% CI 0.58 to 1.80 with p=0.93). No significant associations were found between the H pylori status and gastrointestinal symptoms, occupational exposures in different tasks, nor with hygienic practices. Conclusions Our results do not suggest that H pylori infection is a probable cause of part of gastrointestinal symptoms among Flemish municipal sewage workers of WWTPs.

Adverse effects of low occupational cadmium exposure on renal and oxidative stress biomarkers in solderers

Objectives Recent studies suggest adverse health effects after low exposure to cadmium (Cd). Brazing with Cd-containing solder exposes workers to Cd. The purpose of this study was to assess: (1) indicators of Cd exposure in blood (Cd-B)/ urine (Cd-U); (2) the association between Cd-B, Cd-U and renal and oxidative stress biomarkers. Methods In this cross-sectional study Cd-B, Cd-U, renal (ie, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase/urinary intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP)/microalbumin/beta-2-microglobulin/retinol binding protein and oxidative stress markers (ie, derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites/glutathione peroxidase/superoxide dismutase (SOD)/ advanced oxidation protein products/8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosin/8-isoprostanes) were determined in 36 solderers. Results Multiple linear regression analysis adjusting for age and pack-years of smoking show that IAP is statistically significantly associated with Cd-B (B=0.24; SE=0.11) and Cd-U (B=0.15; SE=0.07). Also SOD is statistically significantly associated with Cd-B (B=62.96; SE=29.62). The association between SOD and Cd-U is of borderline statistical significance (B=37.69; SE=19.59). Conclusions While there is still some debate as whether the Cd-induced tubular effects are reversible or not, IAP and SOD appear as sensitive and potentially useful early biomarkers for the health surveillance of workers exposed to low levels of Cd.

Interventions to increase the reporting of occupational diseases by physicians: a Cochrane systematic review

Under-reporting of occupational diseases is an important issue in many countries. Timely and complete reporting is fundamental to a successful physician-based public health surveillance system and to plan intervention programmes and allocation of resources. For physicians, the main reasons for under-reporting consist of lack of awareness regarding reporting requirements, time and effort involved in reporting and lack of benefit from reporting. There are no systematic reviews of the effects of interventions for increasing the reporting (or reducing the under-reporting) of occupational diseases. Therefore, we conducted a Cochrane systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at increasing the reporting of occupational diseases by physicians.1 We searched the Cochrane Occupational Safety and Health Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, OSH UPDATE, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Open-SIGLE and Health Evidence, up to January 2015. We intended to include randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster-RCTs, controlled before-after (CBA) studies and interrupted time series (ITS), on the effects of increasing the reporting of occupational diseases by physicians, but we only identified RCTs and CBA studies. Outcome measures were the reporting of occupational diseases measured either as the number of physicians reporting or as the rate of reporting occupational diseases. Two authors independently assessed study eligibility and risk of bias, and extracted data. The results of similar studies were combined in a meta-analysis. …

High prevalence of active and occult hepatitis B virus infections in healthcare workers from two provinces of South Africa

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B (HB) is a vaccine-preventable liver disease caused by infection with the blood-borne hepatitis B virus (HBV). South African healthcare workers (HCWs) may be at high risk of occupational exposure to HBV infection, since previous studies have found suboptimal levels of protection against HBV in HCWs. METHODS A descriptive prevalence study based on self-administered questionnaires with data on demographics and HB vaccination status, and stored serum samples collected from 2009 to 2012, from 333 HCWs working or studying in Gauteng and Mpumalanga province hospitals or nursing colleges, was conducted. Samples were tested for HB surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs), antibodies to HB core antigen (anti-HBc), and HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). RESULTS The majority of HCWs from whom the serum samples were drawn were black (91.4% [298/326]), female (82.6% [275/333]) and had received at least one dose of HB vaccine (70.9% [236/333]). The average age was 38.8years (range: 19-62). Of the HCWs, 23.2% (73/314) were susceptible (negative for all markers); 9.6% (30/314) were infected (HBsAg and/or DNA positive); 29.0% (91/314) were exposed (positive for either HBsAg, anti-HBc, or DNA); 18.8% (59/314) were immune due to natural infection (anti-HBs and anti-HBc positive only); while 47.8% (150/314) were immune due to vaccination (anti-HBs positive only). Furthermore, HBV DNA was detected in 8.6% (27/314) and occult HBV infection (OBI) (HBV DNA positive but HBsAg negative) was found in 6.7% (21/314) of samples. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION This study, which is the first to report OBI in South African HCWs, found high rates of active HBV infection and sub-optimal protection against HBV in HCWs. There is a need to strengthen vaccination programmes through a policy that ensures protection for all HCWs and their patients.

0345 The role of the occupational physician in the diagnosis and prevention of occupational diseasesin the 21the century

One of the most important tasks of the occupational physician in Belgium is the prevention of primary and secondary health damage related to the job. An occupational disease (OD) is a disease that at least partially is caused by risk factors at work or in which the evolution is caused by risk factors in the working environment. In different countries, the scientific literature about OD and the several registration systems in occupational health generates data about those risk factors responsible for the development of OD. That data and the legislative framework can lead to preventive measures that can prevent OD, a task for the occupational physician. In Belgium, the available data about OD, coming from occupational health context, appear to be rare. So to find out more about the incidence and the diagnosis of OD, we will use other existing systems of surveillance in Belgium. We’ll use two sentinel surveillance systems in primary care and one general health care surveillance system. With the use of specific questionnaires about the chosen OD, we search for the risk factors recorded by the attending physicians. This poster presents you how we used the existing methods in the context of occupational health and explains how the OD and the search for the risk factors are questioned in the general health care surveillance systems. Dr Bieke Claesen, PhD student University of Antwerp, Occupational Physician at IDEWE. Prof Dr A De Schryver, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Epidemiology and Social Medicine (ESOC) University of Antwerp.

Hepatitis E Virus Infection in a Student Healthcare Worker: A Case Report

Citation: De Schryver A, Wijnants I, Bonanni P, Hambach R, van Sprundel M, et al. (2017) Hepatitis E Virus Infection in a Student Healthcare Worker: A Case Report. Int Arch Nurs Health Care 3:081. doi. org/10.23937/2469-5823/1510081 Received: June 13, 2017: Accepted: September 21, 2017: Published: September 23, 2017 Copyright:

Infectious diseases in people with intellectual disabilities

The risk of transmission of infectious diseases is particularly enhanced by institutionalisation of people with intellectual disabilities.1 The best documented examples are hepatitis B and Helicobacter pylori infection.2 3 Studies have shown that the prevalence of hepatitis B virus markers is clearly higher in …