Occupational risks during a monkeypox outbreak, Wisconsin, 2003.
We determined factors associated with occupational transmission in Wisconsin during the 2003 outbreak of prairie dog--associated monkeypox virus infections. Our investigation included active contact surveillance, exposure-related interviews, and a veterinary facility cohort study. We identified 19 confirmed, 5 probable, and 3 suspected cases. Rash, headache, sweats, and fever were reported by > 80% of patients. Occupationally transmitted infections occurred in 12 veterinary staff, 2 pet store employees, and 2 animal distributors. The following were associated with illness: working directly with animal care (p = 0.002), being involved in prairie dog examination, caring for an animal within 6 feet of an ill prairie dog (p = 0.03), feeding an ill prairie dog (p = 0.002), and using an antihistamine (p = 0.04). Having never handled an ill prairie dog (p = 0.004) was protective. Veterinary staff used personal protective equipment sporadically. Our findings underscore the importance of standard veterinary infection-control guidelines.
Croft
Donita R
DR
Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. dc2@medicine.wisc.edu
Sotir
Mark J
MJ
Williams
Carl J
CJ
Kazmierczak
James J
JJ
Wegner
Mark V
MV
Rausch
Darren
D
Graham
Mary Beth
MB
Foldy
Seth L
SL
Wolters
Mat
M
Damon
Inger K
IK
Karem
Kevin L
KL
Davis
Jeffrey P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017750:Animal Technicians; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D045908:Mpox, Monkeypox / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012307:Risk Factors; D012589:Sciuridae / Q000821:virology*; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology