Upper and lower respiratory airway complaints among female veterinary staff.

Int Arch Occup Environ Health. April 2022;95(3):665 - 675.

F Hoffmeyer¹, A Beine², A Lotz³, O Kleinmüller⁴, C Nöllenheidt⁵, E Zahradnik⁶, A Nienhaus⁷, M Raulf⁸

¹ Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany. hoffmeyer@ipa-dguv.de.; ² Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany.; ³ Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany.; ⁴ Institute for Health Service Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), Center for Epidemiology and Heath Service Research in Nursing (CVcare), Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany.; ⁵ Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany.; ⁶ Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany.; ⁷ Institute for Health Service Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), Center for Epidemiology and Heath Service Research in Nursing (CVcare), Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany.; ⁸ Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:Working with animals is characterized by exposure to particulate, biological or chemical matter, and respiratory complaints are common. The aim of our cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and diagnoses among veterinary staff.

METHODS:Participants working in veterinary practices were examined and a detailed questionnaire was used to collect data. IgE tests to common and animal allergens were performed to specify sensitization. Associations with respiratory outcomes were analysed using logistic regression models while controlling for potential confounders.

RESULTS:Atopy was seen in 31% of the 109 female participants. Symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis were the most frequent complaints (n = 92; 84%). In 18% the diagnosis was confirmed by physicians. Symptoms of upper and lower airways were highly correlated and an asthma diagnosis was confirmed in 11% of participants. Modelling revealed that sensitization against cats/dogs was a significant risk factor for respiratory symptoms of upper [odds ratio (OR) 4.61; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-18.81] and lower airways (OR 5.14; 95% CI 1.25-21.13), physician-confirmed rhinoconjunctivitis (OR 13.43; 95% CI 1.69-106.5) and asthma (OR 9.02; 95% CI 1.16-70.39) in assistant staff of small-animal practices.

CONCLUSIONS:In several cases, rhinoconjunctivitis worsened after entering the profession. Atopy and specific sensitization to cats/dogs were risk factors for health impairments. Thus, to implement preventive measures, veterinary practice staff should be educated that upper respiratory tract symptoms are not harmless and should be diagnosed and treated early.

Keywords

Asthma; Atopy; Occupational health; Rhinitis; Risk factor; Sensitization; Veterinary staff;

Article Tools:

Medline

Email to me

Archives Highlights:

Elimination Diet Trials: Steps for Success and Common Mistakes
Increasing the duration of the EDT to 8 weeks increases the sensitivity to more than 90% for the diagnosis of food allergies in dogs and cats. The time to flare upon oral challenge with the offending diet can be 7 to 14 days.

The Most Common Environmental Risk Factors for Equine Asthma-A Narrative Review.
The symptoms of equine asthma are typical of respiratory inflammations, and they include coughing, nasal discharge, and breathing difficulty even at rest in horses with severe asthma. BALF and tracheal wash analyses are the most popular methods of diagnosing equine asthma. Inadequate housing conditions undoubtedly increase the risk of asthma.

'Transmission Tracker - Dirofilaria'- a public dashboard to assess in real-time the temperature-bounded transmissibility of canine heartworm across Australia.
'Transmission Tracker - Dirofilaria' processes near real-time temperature records across Australia and allows users to enquire about historical and current weather suitability for canine heartworm transmission at any Australian postcode of their interest. This information allows veterinarians to access when, and for how long, heartworm may be transmitted at a specific location, assess the associated risk of infection, and advise on a patient-dependent dirofilariosis prevention plan for their canine patients and guardians.

Emergency Approach to Acute Seizures in Dogs and Cats.
This review presents a systematic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of single seizures, cluster seizures, and status epilepticus in dogs and cats.

Choose Your Own Adventure: Using Twine for Gamified Interactive Learning in Veterinary Anaesthesia.
Five interactive clinical cases were developed using Twine, simulating realistic anaesthesia scenarios with decision points and gamified elements, such as scoring systems and resource management. Feedback was highly positive; 90.8% found it effective for training, and 97.0% agreed it improved knowledge. User-friendliness was rated as "easy" or "very easy" by 94.6%. Regarding overall satisfaction, 96.7% of students described the workshop as "good" or "excellent".