Hepatitis in slaughterhouse workers

Abstract

Slaughterhouse workers (SHW) are at increased risk of hepatitis which can occur due to different organisms and should be investigated for viral, bacterial, and parasitic organisms. Slaughter house personnel including butchers are at a higher risk of infections from cuts and blood-letting, with the possible risk of the transmission of blood-borne pathogens to their colleagues. The objective of this review is to evaluate the common etiologies of hepatitis in SHW which will assist in the assessment of these patients presenting with transaminitis. Types of Microorganisms causing hepatitis with their reservoirs, routes of transmission, laboratory diagnosis, clinical features, treatment options and preventive strategies are included in this review. Proper investigation and awareness is of utmost importance as it causes significant financial constraints derived from workers health cost and from livestock production losses when the disease is confirmed. The work up is essential because infected workers might be a source of infections to other colleagues, family and the consumers.

Comparative Study of Knowledge, Risk factors, and Prevalence of Hepatitis B virus Infection Among Donkey Butchers and Herders in Ebonyi state, Nigeria

“…It is an important zoonotic occupational hazard to health and slaughterhouse workers. [5,6] A Significant number of infected individuals get the infection through unprotected sexual contact with an infected person; however, the infection can be prevented by vaccination. Over 90% of Hepatitis B virus infections exist chronically and show no signs and symptoms unless during acute phases when Original research symptoms resemble malaria attack of generalized body weakness, fever, headache, joint pains, and occasionally jaundice.…”

“…[26] Essentially, donkey butchers are more exposed to physical hazards such as knife cuts, punctured wounds, head injuries, rashes, and accidents. [5,6,26] On the other hand, the donkey herders are exposed to biological hazards linked to risky behavioral practices such as persistent unhygienic practice habits (including poor hand/personal hygiene, filthy environment, lack of standard lairage setting and inadequate health officials supervision), cuts on hands, sharing of razors during cultural practices, tattooing and risky sexual behaviors. [5,6] The choice of comparing both populations stems from the fact that they Original research share a uniform environment (donkey market) and trade on the same animal with different but related modes of infection transmission.…”

“…Zero reactive samples found among the proportion of tertiary education compared with other levels of education may be a translation of good knowledge relative to prevention measures against HBV infection. This finding was corroborated by a related study on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among traders (though the unspecified type of trade) conducted in Calabar metropolis, South-South Region, Nigeria [ 37 ], which found that majority of the respondents had secondary education (57.1%) and were of the Ibibio and Igbo tribes; only 10.4% had HBV vaccination whereas only 44.2% of the traders reported having any knowledge of HBV; the most common source for the knowledge was television/radio (25%) and hospitals (22%); the median (interquartile range) of the overall KAP score was low (11,(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16); the score was least in persons aged 35 years and above, but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.33). The researchers concluded that the knowledge of HBV was low among the traders in the Calabar metropolis.…”

Performance and modification of EGCRISC among hepatitis C virus high-risk groups

“…SHWs have been shown to be at risk of acquiring and transmitting blood-borne infections from cuts and blood-letting [12].…”

“…In addition, HCV screening has not been included among people at greater risk owing to their occupation such as health care workers and slaughterhouse workers (SHWs). SHWs have been shown to be at risk of acquiring and transmitting blood-borne infections from cuts and blood-letting [12].…”