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Volume 17, Number 9—September 2011

Dispatch

Q Fever among Culling Workers, the Netherlands, 2009–2010

Jane WhelanComments to Author , Barbara Schimmer, Peter M. Schneeberger, Jamie Meekelenkamp, Wim van der Hoek, Mirna Robert–Du Ry van Beest Holle, and Arnold IJff
Author affiliations: Author affiliations: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands (J. Whelan, B. Schimmer, P. Schneeberger, W. van der Hoek, M. Robert–Du Ry van Beest Holle); European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden (J. Whelan); Jeroen Bosch Hospital, ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands (P. Schneeberger, J. Meekelenkamp); ArboUnie, Utrecht, the Netherlands (A. IJff)

Main Article

Table 1

Baseline characteristics of workers before culling small ruminants, the Netherlands, December 2009*

Characteristic Total no. workers No. (%) workers
 p value†
Seronegative, n = 395 Seropositive, n = 58
Sex‡
M 342 303 (89) 39 (11)
F§
 11
 10 (91)
 1 (9)
 0.812
Age group, y¶
<40 114 95 (83) 19 (17)
40–49 157 137 (87) 20 (13)
50–59 154 139 (90) 15 (10)
>60
 26
 22 (85)
 4 (15)
 0.398
Distance of residence from nearest infected farm, km¶
<5 116 95 (82) 21 (18)
>5
 317
 282 (89)
 35 (11)
 0.052
Level of education¶
Low 48 43 (90) 5 (10)
Medium 132 117 (89) 15 (11)
High
 53
 45 (85)
 8 (15)
 0.725
Medical history¶#
No 159 140 (88) 19 (12)
Yes
 57
 47 (83)
 10 (18)
 0.288
Current smoker¶
No 189 162 (86) 27 (14)
Yes
 53
 48 (91)
 5 (9)
 0.357
Previous culling experience¶
No 116 94 (81) 22 (19)
Yes
 135
 124 (92)
 11 (8)
 0.011
Regular occupational contact with sheep or goats¶
No 202 182 (90) 20 (10)
Yes 34 24 (71) 10 (29) 0.002

*Missing values excluded from analysis.
†Pearson χ2.
‡Maximum 453 respondents. Data available from occupational records.
§No female respondents were pregnant.
¶Maximum 251 respondents. Data available from questionnaire responses.
#History of cardiorespiratory disease, liver disorders, diabetes, cancer, immunosuppression, allergies, skin conditions.

Main Article

Page created: September 06, 2011
Page updated: September 06, 2011
Page reviewed: September 06, 2011
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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