Introduction: Brucellosis is a zoonotic infection which is responsible for substantial economic losses along with human morbidities. In Egypt, it is a definite cause of more than 3% of acute febrile illnesses. Brucellosis is principally affecting animals however it can be transmitted from animals to human. Many workers are at risk of infection with brucellosis as herders, hunters, agriculturalists, dairy workers, veterinarians, and slaughterhouse workers. Aim of work: to determine the prevalence of brucellosis seropositivity among occupationally exposed workers, to identify risk factors and to assess the predictors of seropositivity among the studied group. Material and Methods: Seventy five workers occupationally exposed to livestock animals were included and were subjected to an interview questionnaire about Brucellosis risk factors and blood samples were collected and analyzed by Rose Bengal plate test for B. Abortus and B. Melitensis. Results: Seropositivity for Brucella among studied workers was 43(57.3%). It was highest among high risk work activities including veterinarians 19 (44.2%) followed by animal service workers 10 (23.3%), butchers and veterinary assistants 6 (14% each) (p=0.626). The predictors of seropositivity for Brucellosis were dealing with unvaccinated animals (p=0.012) and high risk work activities (p=0.037). Conclusion: Dealing with unvaccinated animals and high risk work activities are the main predictors of seropositivity of Brucellosis among occupationally exposed group.

IntroductionThere is an increase in problems of the reproductive system in human males. This could be due to lifestyle factors, and chemical exposure in the work environment. Occupational activities involve constant exposure to toxic agents and may have a detrimental effect on human reproduction. This study aimed at assessing the semen quality among exposed workers to lead and cadmium.MethodsAccording to the inclusion criteria (at least 2 years of work exposure, age 20–45, non-smokers) 21 male workers (exposed group) in a welding unit at a shipbuilding facility in Ismailia Egypt and 42 office workers (control group) with the same criteria were compared. Personal, medical, reproductive and occupational histories were taken. Blood lead and cadmium concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer with Zeeman background correction (Perkin Elmer). Analysis of semen samples was performed in accordance with World Health Organisation criteria. P-value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant in data analysis.ResultsThe blood level of lead and cadmium for the welding workers was 45.75±9.78 µg/dl and 1.68±1.60, respectively, which was significantly higher than the control group 12.65±3.78 and 0.15±0.22 (p<0.001). Sperm counts of welding workers were 31.12±22.97 millions/ml lower than those of the control group were 50.80±39.56 millions/ml (p=0.016) and also sperm motility was decreased in exposed workers compared to controls (p=0.003). The sperm motility showed a negative correlation with blood lead content in workers. Blood concentration correlated with the number of years of exposure to welding.ConclusionThis study shows that exposure to lead and cadmium may affect semen profile in male welding workers. Further studies are need to control for other potential confounding factors, and environmental assessment should be done to asses exposure pathways and concentration.

During the past three decades, sustainability has become an important strategic goal for organisations. These organisations can save costs and gain long term competitive advantages by being concerned about the future of people and planet through the creation of unique sustainability-oriented processes. The focus here is on the ‘‘cultural shift’’ or change and its effects on the financial, environmental, and social performance of an organisation. This shift entails (1) the management of human resources, health and safety at work, and adaptation to change, and (2) the management of environmental impacts and natural resources. A cultural shift is needed in many workplaces, especially in those that are poorly regulated. A negative attitude towards occupational health and safety is mainly caused by the ignorance of the causes of occupational accidents and diseases, and how to prevent them practically even in highly hazardous areas. It becomes a vicious circle or a ‘cycle of neglect’, where occupational health and safety never get the attention it deserves, until the cycle is somehow broken. It is important to assess the potential benefits of strong safety culture as well as health literacy; specifically, the management and organisational support to find the direct and indirect effects of safety culture change on firm performance and workers’ wellbeing. The safety culture is associated with several performance indicators, mostly linked to sustainable development (environmental, financial, and safety performance). Importantly, findings suggest that the relationships between safety culture and safety performance are mediated by the level of implemented environmental/safety practices within workplaces.