Behavioral Factors and Work-related Illnesses among Animal Traders in the Largest Night Market in Thailand

Authors

  • Anek Mungaomklang Epidemiology Unit, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand
  • Ratiwat Ueakoonwarawat Occupational Health Unit, Korat Memorial Hospital. Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand
  • Supaporn Chunthawee Epidemiology Unit, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand
  • Pongchan Na-Lampang School of Animal Production Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59096/osir.v9i3.263211

Keywords:

Occupational infection, surveillance, work-related illnesses, zoonosis

Abstract

People who keep animals for trade or as pets are groups that encounter one of the highest risks for zoonotic diseases through close contact. This issue needs attention because zoonosis has been an important health problem around the world. The objective of this study was to investigate the behavioral factors associated with work-related illnesses among animal keepers and pet sellers in the largest night market of Thailand, located in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire and a walk-through survey in the market during 1 Jan and 28 Feb 2015. Out of 75 animal traders, 60 responded to our questionnaire. Common injuries were animal scratches (56.7%), and bites (26.7%). Results from the multiple logistic regressions revealed a relationship between direct contact with animals and illnesses (odds ratio = 11.56, 95% CI = 1.16-115.20). Adequate education and promoting awareness among the animal traders who had prolonged exposure and direct contact with animals should be a main control strategy for prevention of work-related illnesses. 

References

Morse SS, Mazet JA, Woolhouse M, Parrish CR, Carroll D, Karesh WB, et al. Prediction and prevention of the next pandemic zoonosis. Lancet. 2012 Dec 1;380(9857):1956-65 [cited 2015 Jun 5]. <http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(12)61684-5/fulltext>

Ganter M. Zoonotic risks from small ruminants. Vet Microbiol. 2015 Dec 14;181(1-2):53-65. Epub 2015 Jul 15 [cited 2015 Jun 5]. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26275853>

Lim VK. Occupational infections. Malays J Pathol. 2009 Jun;31(1):1-9 [cited 2015 Jun 5]. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19694307>

Damborg P, Broens EM, Chomel BB, Guenther S, Pasmans F, Wagenaar JA, et al. Bacterial zoonoses transmitted by household pets: state-of-the-art and future perspectives for targeted research and policy actions. J Comp Pathol. 2015 May 6. pii: S0021-9975(15)00052-3 [Epub ahead of print].

Rabozzi G, Bonizzi L, Crespi E, Somaruga C, Sokooti M, Tabibi R, et al. Emerging zoonoses: the “one health approach”. Saf Health Work. 2012 Mar;3(1):77-83. Epub 2012 Mar 8.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Epi Info [cited 2015 Feb 5]. <http://wwwn.cdc.gov/epiinfo/html/prevVersion.htm>

Parashar UD, Sunn LM, Ong F, Mounts AW, Arif MT, Ksiazek TG, et al. Case-control study of risk factors for human infection with a new zoonotic paramyxovirus, Nipah virus, during a 1998-1999 outbreak of severe encephalitis in Malaysia. J Infect Dis. 2000 May;181(5):1755-9. Epub 2000 May 15 [cited 2015 Feb 5]. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10823779>

Dorko E, Rimárová K, Pilipcinec E. Influence of the environment and occupational exposure on the occurrence of Q fever. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2012 Sep;20(3):208-14 [cited 2015 Feb 5]. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23285522>

Breitschwerdt EB, Maggi RG, Chomel BB, Lappin MR. Bartonellosis: an emerging infectious disease of zoonotic importance to animals and human beings. J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio). 2010 Feb;20(1):8-30 [cited 2015 Feb 5]. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20230432>

Sturgeon A, Pinder SL, Costa MC, Weese JS. Characterization of the oral microbiota of healthy cats using next-generation sequencing. Vet J. 2014 Aug;201(2):223-9. Epub 2014 Feb 6 [cited 2015 Feb 5]. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24680670>

Gürdoğan M, Paslı Gürdoğan E, Arı H, Ertürk M, Genç A, Uçar MF. Levels of awareness of occupational and general cardiovascular risk factors among metal industry employees. Turk Kardiyol Dern Ars. 2015 Jun;43(4):361-7. Turkish [cited 2015 Feb 5]. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26142790>

Downloads

Published

2016-09-29

How to Cite

Mungaomklang, A., Ueakoonwarawat, R., Chunthawee, S., & Na-Lampang, P. (2016). Behavioral Factors and Work-related Illnesses among Animal Traders in the Largest Night Market in Thailand. Outbreak, Surveillance, Investigation & Response (OSIR) Journal, 9(3), 7–11. https://doi.org/10.59096/osir.v9i3.263211

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 3 (2016): July - September

Section

Original article

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Outbreak, Surveillance, Investigation & Response (OSIR) Journal

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.