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Zoonotic infections in Northern Ireland farmers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

C. F. Stanford
Affiliation:
Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast BT12 6BA
J. H. Connolly
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Royal Victoria HospitalBelfast
W. A. Ellis
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland
E. T. M. Smyth
Affiliation:
Department of Bacteriology, Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast
P. V. Coyle
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Royal Victoria HospitalBelfast
W. I. Montgomery
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, Queens University of Belfast
D. I. H. Simpson
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology & Immunobiology, Queens University of Belfast
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Summary

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Evidence of past zoonotic infection was investigated serologically in randomly selected Northern Ireland farmers. The percentage of farmers with antibody was: Brucella abortus (0·7), Leptospira interrogans serovars (8·1), Borrelia burgdorferi (14·3), Toxoplasma gondii (73·5), Coxiella burnetii (28·0), Chlamydia psittaci (11·1) and Hantavirus (1·2).

The results show that Northern Ireland farmers have been exposed in the past to zoonotic infections. It is not known if these infections contributed to ill health in farmers but it is now time for the health of farm workers and their medical services to be reassessed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

References

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