Carriage of animal-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clonal complex 398 (CC398) is common among pig farmers. This study was conducted (i) to investigate whether pig farmers are colonized with pig-specific S. aureus genotypes other than CC398 and (ii) to survey antimicrobial resistance of S. aureus isolates from pigs and pig farmers. Forty-eight S. aureus isolates fro...

INTRODUCTION Cattle are an important source of allergens in the working area of farmers. Asthma caused by cow allergens is a significant occupational problem. Yet in allergological testing, the results of in vivo and in vitro diagnostic tests are often inconsistent even in cases with clearly cattle-related symptoms. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS The aim of this study was to investigate four differen...

Prevalence of and risk factors associated with MRSA-ST398 carriage in 1872 (response 70%) farmers and neighbouring residents in a pig- and poultry-dense area in Germany were investigated using a cross-sectional study and self-sampling nasal swabs. In the population, 1% without occupational livestock contact and 24% with occupational livestock contact tested positive for MRSA-ST398. The group wi...

BACKGROUND In addition to livestock movements, other between-farm contacts such as visitors may contribute to the spread of contagious animal diseases. Knowledge about such contacts is essential for contingency planning. Preventive measures, risk-based surveillance and contact tracing may be facilitated if the frequency and type of between-farm contacts can be assessed for different types of fa...

To characterise the urban livestock keeping practices and constraints in Kisumu municipality, Kenya, a questionnaire survey was carried out. Thirty-four contact farmers were interviewed on general farm characteristics and production constraints. The farming activities were categorised as either livestock only (41%), or mixed crops and livestock (59%). The surveyed farmers kept mainly cattle (10...

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this work was to compare DNA damage, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, inflammatory markers and clinical symptoms in farmers exposed to organophosphorus pesticides to individuals that had no pesticide exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a total of 134 people. The subject group consisted of 67 farmers who were exposed to organ...

To identify the factors contributing to the farmers’ attitude towards Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices in rice cultivation, 158 family heads of the Farmers Field Schools (FFSs) at Godagari Upzila under Rajshahi District were chosen at random to constitute the subjects of the study. Data were collected from 5 September, 2006 to 28 January, 2007. Twenty four selected characteristics of ...

Since January 2007, a total of 11 rabid deer from 4 deer farms have been identified in 2 neighboring Pennsylvania counties. Vaccination of deer against rabies, decreasing wildlife animal contact with deer, and education of deer farmers may prevent further cases of rabies in captive deer and exposures to humans.

BACKGROUND The recent avian influenza epidemic in Asia and the H1N1 pandemic demonstrated that influenza A viruses pose a threat to global public health. The animal origins of the viruses confirmed the potential for interspecies transmission. Swine are hypothesized to be prime "mixing vessels" due to the dual receptivity of their trachea to human and avian strains. Additionally, avian and human...

objective: the purpose of this work was to compare dna damage, acetylcholinesterase (ache) activity, inflammatory markers and clinical symptoms in farmers exposed to organophosphorus pesticides to individuals that had no pesticide exposure. materials and methods: we conducted a cross-sectional survey with a total of 134 people. the subject group consisted of 67 farmers who were exposed to organ...