title: Injuries to staff engaged in foot-and-mouth disease eradication in Japan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In April 2010, a large-scale outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, a highly infectious disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, was reported in Miyazaki prefecture in Japan. Many staff were dispatched to the epidemic area to undertake containment measures. Various injuries were reported among the dispatched staff.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the characteristics of injuries that occurred during containment measures and to identify the characteristics of those injured.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed records of injuries that occurred among staff dispatched from national organizations and prefectures other than Miyazaki prefecture. Based on these records, a qualitative analysis was conducted for veterinarians and non-veterinarian support staff as each group played a different role during the outbreak.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-seven veterinarians and 183 support staff were injured. The injury risk was significantly higher for support staff (13%) than for veterinarians (5%; P < 0.001). The most frequently reported injury resulted from exposure to disinfectant and the next was abrasions caused by friction from protective clothing and rubber boots. Among veterinarians, needlestick accidents were also frequently reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Applying a less hazardous disinfectant and improving protective equipment to prevent skin abrasion may be effective in reducing the risk of these injuries among staff conducting containment measures. Reducing injuries among staff in such circumstances will assist effective control measures.
authors.affiliation: Viral Disease and Epidemiology Research Division, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muroga
authors.affiliation: Viral Disease and Epidemiology Research Division, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan, mtbook@affrc.go.jp.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Viral Disease and Epidemiology Research Division, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hayama
authors.affiliation: Viral Disease and Epidemiology Research Division, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Viral Disease and Epidemiology Research Division, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan, EpiCentre, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hidano
authors.affiliation: Viral Disease and Epidemiology Research Division, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsutsui
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000818:Animals; D060740:Disease Eradication; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005536:Foot-and-Mouth Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D018634:Veterinarians
keywords: Control measure; Japan; foot-and-mouth disease; injuries; protective equipment; veterinarians.