Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T15:42:02.940Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Zoonotic infections in Northern Ireland farmers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

C. F. Stanford ,
J. H. Connolly ,
W. A. Ellis ,
E. T. M. Smyth ,
P. V. Coyle ,
W. I. Montgomery  and
D. I. H. Simpson
C. F. Stanford
Affiliation:
Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast BT12 6BA
J. H. Connolly
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Royal Victoria HospitalBelfast
W. A. Ellis
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland
E. T. M. Smyth
Affiliation:
Department of Bacteriology, Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast
P. V. Coyle
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Royal Victoria HospitalBelfast
W. I. Montgomery
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, Queens University of Belfast
D. I. H. Simpson
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology & Immunobiology, Queens University of Belfast
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Evidence of past zoonotic infection was investigated serologically in randomly selected Northern Ireland farmers. The percentage of farmers with antibody was: Brucella abortus (0·7), Leptospira interrogans serovars (8·1), Borrelia burgdorferi (14·3), Toxoplasma gondii (73·5), Coxiella burnetii (28·0), Chlamydia psittaci (11·1) and Hantavirus (1·2).

The results show that Northern Ireland farmers have been exposed in the past to zoonotic infections. It is not known if these infections contributed to ill health in farmers but it is now time for the health of farm workers and their medical services to be reassessed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 105 , Issue 3 , December 1990 , pp. 565 - 570
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

References

REFERENCES

1.Kerr, WR, McCaughey, WJ, Coghlan, JD et al. , Techniques and interpretations in the serological diagnosis of brucellosis in man. J Med Microbiol 1968; 1: 181–93.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Coghlan, JD. Leptospira: Borrellia. In: Collee, JG, Duguid, JP, Fraser, AG, Marmion, BP, eds. Practical medical microbiology. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1989: 661–74.Google Scholar
3.Bradstreet, CMP, Taylor, CED. Technique of complement fixation test applicable to the diagnosis of virus diseases. Mon Bull Min Health and Pub Health Lab Services 1962; 1: 547–52.Google Scholar
4.Thorburn, H, Williams, H. A stable haemagglutinating antigen for detecting toxoplasma antibodies. J Clin Pathol 1972; 25: 762–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Haire, M, Hadden, DSM. Immunoglobulin response in rubella and its complications. Brit Med J. 1970; 3: 130–2.Google Scholar
6.Smith, DM. Modern farming In: Harrington, JM, ed. Recent advances in Occupational Health. Edinburgh, New York: Churchill Livingstone 1987; 3: 55–73.Google Scholar
7.Ellis, WA. Leptospirosis. J Small Animal Pract 1986; 27: 683–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Bettelheim, KA. Antibody levels to leptospirae among milkers in the South island of New Zealand. Proc 9th Int Congr Agric Med Rural Health 1984; 19.Google Scholar
9.Schenberg, C, Gerichter, ChB, Lindenbaum, I. Leptospirosis in man, Israel 1970–79. Amer J Epidem 1982; 115: 352–8.Google Scholar
10.Muhlemann, MF, Wright, DJM. Emerging pattern of Lyme disease in the United Kingdom and Irish Republic. Lancet 1987: i; 260–2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Schmutzhard, E, Pohl, P, Stanek, G. Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in patients with relapsing/remitting form and chronic progressive form of multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 1988; 51: 1215–18.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Tizard, IR, Chauhan, SS, Lai, CH. The prevalence and epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in Ontario. J Hyg 1977; 78: 275–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Johnson, AM, Roberts, H, McDonald, PJ. Age-sex distribution of toxoplasma antibody in the South Australian population. J Hyg 1980; 84: 315–20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Konishi, E, Takahashi, J. Some epidemiological aspects of toxoplasma infections in a population of farmers in Japan. Int J Epidem 1987; 16: 277–81.Google Scholar
15.Connolly, JH. Q fever in Northern Ireland. Brit Med J 1968; 1: 547–52.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.Langley, JM, Marrie, TJ, Covert, A, Waag, DM, Williams, JC. Poker player's pneumonia; an urban outbreak of Q fever following exposure to a parturient cat. N Eng J Med 1988; 319; 354–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Marrie, TJ, Williams, JC, Schlech, III WF, Yates, L. Q fever pneumonia associated with exposure to wild rabbits. Lancet 1986; i: 427–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Grayston, JT, Kuo, CC, Wang, SP, Altman, J. A new Chlamydia psittaci strain TWAR isolated in acute respiratory tract infections. N Engl J Med 1986; 315; 161–8.Google Scholar
19.Hobson, D, Morgan-Capner, P. Chlamydial antibodies in farmers in North-West England. Epidemiol Infect 1988; 101: 397–404.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Cosgriff, TM. Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome: four decades of research. Ann Int Med 1989; 110: 313–16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21.Davies, EA, Rooney, PJ, Coyle, PV, Simpson, DIH, Montgomery, IW, Stanford, CF. Hantavirus and leptospira. Lancet 1988; ii: 460–1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22.Smal, CM, Fairley, JS. The spread of the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus in Ireland. Mammal Rev 1984; 14: 71–8.Google Scholar
23.Gajdusek, DC. Muroid virus nephropathies and muroid viruses of the Hantaan virus group. Scand J Infect Dis 1982; 36: Suppl. 96–108.Google ScholarPubMed