Work-related<i>Helicobacter pylori</i>infection among sewage workers in municipal wastewater treatment plants in Belgium

Hooste, Wim Van; Charlier, A; Rotsaert, Paul; Bulterys, Simon; Moens, Guido; Sprundel, Marc van; Schryver, Antoon De

doi:10.1136/oem.2008.040436

Cited by 35 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…It was suggested that unknown bias or residual confounding most likely explained this decreased prevalence. The results of the cohort study support this hypothesis and are in accordance with findings on H pylori IgG from Sweden25 and from a preliminary Belgian study 26. Overall, the available evidence, although still limited, does not confirm an increased risk of H pylori infection in workers exposed to sewage, even though the bacterium can be identified in waste water.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Hepatitis E,Helicobacter pyloriand peptic ulcers in workers exposed to sewage: a prospective cohort study

Tschopp

Joller

Jeggli³

et al. 2008

Occup Environ Med

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Objectives: Workers exposed to sewage may have an increased risk of infection by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and hepatitis E virus (HEV). To assess the incidence of clinical hepatitis E (HE) and peptic ulcer disease as well as the seroconversion rate of antibodies to H. pylori and HEV in workers with and without sewage exposure.Methods: 332 workers exposed to sewage and a control group of 446 municipal manual workers (participation: 61 %) entered a prospective cohort study with clinical examination and determination of antibodies to H. pylori and HEV (immunoglobulins G and A or G and M, respectively). Survival curves were examined with log rank tests and Cox regressions. Travelling to endemic areas, socioeconomic level, age, country in which childhood was spent, number of siblings, and personal protective equipment were considered as the main confounding factors.Results: Incidence of clinical HE was not increased in sewage workers. One peptic ulcer and three eradications were recorded in sewage workers whereas no case of peptic ulcer and 12 eradications occurred in control workers. Incidence rates of about 0.01, 0.10, and 0.15 seroconversion / person-year for HE, H. pylori IgG, and H. pylori IgA, respectively, were found in both exposed and non exposed workers. Survival curves did not show an increased risk in sewage workers and no association with any exposure indicator was found. Sensitivity analyses did not alter these results.Conclusions: These results do not support the hypothesis of sewage as a source of occupational infection for H. pylori or HEV in sewage workers trained for this job with available personal protective equipment and working in a region with good sanitation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Hepatitis E,Helicobacter pyloriand peptic ulcers in workers exposed to sewage: a prospective cohort study

Tschopp

Joller

Jeggli³

et al. 2008

Occup Environ Med

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show abstract

“…Therefore, the workers might at some point be exposed to higher levels of aerosolised viruses than that detected in this study. Furthermore, the level of exposure to aerosols might be affected by factors such as geographical location, weather conditions, type and capacity of the treatment facility (Van Hooste et al 2010). For instance, a higher number of airborne microorganisms such as coliphages have been found to correlate with the amount of wastewater treated in specific sites at one WWTP (HeinonenTanski et al 2009).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Aerosolised microorganisms may be present in many stages of the wastewater and sludge treatment process (SanchezMonedero et al 2008). Thus, WWTP workers may be endangered by inhalation of these potentially harmful agents (Van Hooste et al 2010). An increased incidence of gastrointestinal illness among workers at WWTPs compared with other control groups has been found (Khuder et al 1998;Rylander 1999;Thorn et al 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exposure to Airborne Noroviruses and Other Bioaerosol Components at a Wastewater Treatment Plant in Denmark

2011

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Exposure to bioaerosols associated with wastewater treatment processes may represent an occupational health risk for workers at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). A high frequency of acute symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract among the wastewater workers at a Danish WWTP has been reported. The objective of the study was therefore to examine the exposure of the workers to aerosolised microorganisms. Sampling of inhalable endotoxin, bacteria, moulds and viruses was performed on one occasion using personal samplers. Noroviruses (NoVs) and endotoxin were detected at concentrations that could pose an occupational health risk and possibly contribute to the increased frequency of gastrointestinal illness among the workers and should therefore be investigated further. In addition, positive correlations between exposure to endotoxin, bacteria, moulds and NoVs were found and indicate that the exposure to bioaerosols may be related to work tasks. This is the first study directly showing an occupational exposure to airborne NoVs by its detection in airborne dust.

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“…According to a study by Abd El-Wahab et al, compared to the unexposed group, the employees reported significantly more frequently: diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal colics, and dyspepsia (in our study we did not ask the respondents about abdominal colics, dyspepsia) [2]. Abdominal pain may be the result of direct contact with sewage, and therefore exposure to adenoviruses, rotaviruses, noroviruses, enteroviruses, and the Helicobacter pylori bacterium [16]. Similar results were also obtained by Dutch researchers, according to whom sewage plant employees reported gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and loss of appetite) approx.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of a Sewage Treatment Plant on Health of Local Residents: Gastrointestinal System Symptoms

Jaremków¹,

Szałata²,

Kołwzan³

et al. 2017

Pol. J. Environ. Stud.

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Work-relatedHelicobacter pyloriinfection among sewage workers in municipal wastewater treatment plants in Belgium

Abstract: 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.

Cited by 35 publications

References 31 publications

Hepatitis E,Helicobacter pyloriand peptic ulcers in workers exposed to sewage: a prospective cohort study

Hepatitis E,Helicobacter pyloriand peptic ulcers in workers exposed to sewage: a prospective cohort study

Exposure to Airborne Noroviruses and Other Bioaerosol Components at a Wastewater Treatment Plant in Denmark

Impact of a Sewage Treatment Plant on Health of Local Residents: Gastrointestinal System Symptoms

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