title: Environmental risk factors associated with leptospirosis among butchers and their associates in Jamaica.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leptospirosis, a spirochetal zoonosis, is considered an occupational disease of persons engaged in agriculture, sewage works, forestry, and butchery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the environmental sources and the knowledge, attitude and practices for leptospirosis among butchers and slaughterhouse workers, as well as the seroprevalence of leptospirosis among cattle and pigs presented for slaughter.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using an interviewer administered questionnaire, all 110 butchers and other slaughterhouse workers in the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew, Jamaica were surveyed. In addition, 179 blood samples from animals presented for slaughter were tested for anti-Leptospira antibodies using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses indicated that people with the studied occupations are at risk for developing leptospirosis due to several environmental risk factors that exist in slaughterhouses. Among the risk factors, limited knowledge of the disease and its transmission, lower educational level attained, younger age and unhealthy behaviors (e.g., hand washing and improper or lack of use of personal protective gears), presence of stray dogs and rodents, and inadequate maintenance of physical plants, were found to be important. Of the total number of animal samples tested, 20 (11%) were positive. Canicola and Hardjo (among cattle) and Bratislava (among pigs) were the major seroreactors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Butchers and slaughterhouse workers engaged in animal handling and slaughtering could be frequently exposed to leptospirosis, and hence control strategies targeting at these populations should be implemented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica. paul.brown@uwimona.edu.jm
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pinnock
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGrowder
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D007919:Leptospira / Q000276:immunology; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000592:standards*; D011481:Protective Clothing; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial