title: Neurologic symptoms associated with raising poultry and swine among participants in the Agricultural Health Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is the leading cause of acute peripheral neuropathy worldwide, often associated with recent foodborne infection with Campylobacter jejuni. In this cross-sectional analysis of data from the Agricultural Health Study, we tested whether swine and poultry exposure were associated with increased prevalence of GBS-like neurologic symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using multivariate analysis, we tested the symptoms such as numbness and weakness, relevant to inflammatory peripheral neuropathies, among farmers with self-reported occupational poultry or swine exposure compared with farmers who reported no occupational animal exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among swine farmers/workers, prevalence of weakness and numbness were increased (P < 0.05). Among poultry farmers/workers, prevalence of weakness and numbness were increased, but increased prevalence of weakness was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occupational contact with live poultry or swine, potentially related to C. jejuni exposure, was associated with increased reporting of GBS-like symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. mdavis@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: Meghan F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Freya
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kamel
authors.forename: Jane A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hoppin
authors.forename: Michael C R
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Alavanja
authors.forename: Laura Beane
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Gregory C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Kenrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Silbergeld
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011200:Poultry; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013552:Swine