Anti-Shiga toxin immunoglobulin G antibodies in healthy South Korean slaughterhouse workers.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Slaughterhouse workers are in direct contact with cattle nearly every day. The purpose of this study was to survey the presence and distribution of anti-Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1) immunoglobulin G (IgG) in slaughterhouse workers, enabling a study of the serologic response to this toxin while working in an area at high-risk of Stx-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection.

METHODS:

One thousand seven hundred and twenty-nine serum samples from healthy slaughterhouse employees were collected and surveyed by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS:

Among the 5 slaughterhouse positions, slaughterers had the highest distribution of anti-Stx1 IgG values by an ELISA. Based on the ELISA values, 25% (433/1729) of the workers had anti-Stx1 IgG. Slaughterers, residual products handlers, inspectors, livestock hygiene controllers, and grading testers had anti-Stx1 IgG-positive rates of 28%, 25%, 20%, 19%, and 17%, respectively. The ELISA values of anti-Stx1 IgG increased with increases in the number of years worked by slaughterers, but not by residual products handlers, inspectors, livestock hygiene controllers, or grading testers.

CONCLUSIONS:

From these results, slaughterhouse workers are healthy and asymptomatic; slaughterers in particular are at high-risk for STEC exposure.

• Authors: Sahyun Hong, Kyung-Hwan Oh, Seung-Hak Cho, Seong-Han Kim, Bok-Kwon Lee, Seok-Ju Yoo, Hyun-Sul Lim, Mi-Sun Park
• Journal: Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases (Scand J Infect Dis) Vol. 44 Issue 3 Pg. 168-73 (Mar 2012) ISSN: 1651-1980 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22074490 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Bacterial
• Antitoxins
• Immunoglobulin G
• Shiga Toxin

Topics

• Abattoirs
• Adult
• Animals
• Antibodies, Bacterial (blood)
• Antitoxins (blood)
• Cattle
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Human Experimentation
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (blood)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Occupational Exposure
• Republic of Korea
• Shiga Toxin (immunology)
• Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli (immunology)