Occupational Risk And Prevalence Of Intestinal Parasitoses With Person-To-Person Transmission

Abstract

Some of the most common parasitoses among humans are the intestinal infections with person-to-person transmission – enterobiasis, hymenolepiasis, giardiasis, blastocystosis. In general, those infections are more frequent in childhood, but among adults there is an increased risk especially in some professions. In our country the active control of the parasitic infections in several occupational sectors is regulated by the Ordinance No15, SG 55/2006. Materials and Methods: The study includes 23 139 adults tested for intestinal parasites on prophylactic grounds for a 10-year period. The prevalence and the occupational risks are assessed in five groups - working in the water supply systems; staff in kindergartens and social institutions; engaged in food produce; separately - food trade and transport; professions related to tourism. Results: The total prevalence of intestinal parasitoses in the adult population is 0.98%, with the highest infestation with the intestinal protozoans G. duodenalis - 0.39% and B. hominis - 3.77%. From the intestinal helminthiases the most common is the enterobiasis - 0.33%, followed by the hymenolepiasis - 0.004%. The analysis of the occupational risk showed that the chance of invasion with intestinal parasites for the staff of kindergartens and social institutions of Varna district is twice as high as that in the general adult population (OR = 1.95). Nearly three times higher is the chance of infestation among those involved in food production (OR = 2.89), which identifies them as the sector with the upmost risk. For those professions engaged in food trade and tourism, we have not found a professional risk higher than the one for the general population (OR ~ 1). Conclusion: Because the large part of the adult population of Varna District is engaged annually or seasonally in these sectors, the observed positive results - low relative share of the infected and levelling of the occupational risk with the populational - demonstrate the preventive effect and confirms the necessity of strictly applying the regulations of Ordinance No15, SG No. 55/2006.