Title
A clustering of immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy among swine abattoir workers exposed to aerosolized porcine brains, Indiana, United States
Date Issued
01 January 2009
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Adjemian J.Z.
Howell J.
Holzbauer S.
Harris J.
Mcquiston J.
Chester T.
Lynfield R.
Devries A.
Belay E.
Sejvar J.
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Publisher(s)
Hamilton Hardy Publishing Inc.
Abstract
In November 2007 a novel neuropathy, immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy (IP), was identified among workers at a Minnesota swine abattoir where a unique compressed air technique was used to remove porcine brains. An epidemiologic investigation at another abattoir in Indiana that also uses this process was launched to evaluate workers self-reporting neurologic illness compatible with IP. A nested case-control study was performed to identify cases and risk factors. Six confirmed, one probable, and three possible IP cases were detected. IP cases were 28-52 years old, of Latino origin, and 62.5% female. Onset dates ranged from April 2005-December 2007; 60% were hospitalized. IP cases at this plant were similar in clinical presentation and exposure risks to those detected in Minnesota. Swine abattoirs using similar brain extraction methods should discontinue this process.
Start page
331
End page
338
Volume
15
Issue
4
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ciencia veterinaria Neurociencias
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-73349132690
PubMed ID
Source
International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health
ISSN of the container
10773525
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus