Abstract

CASTELL MONSALVE, Juan; GUTIERREZ AVILA, Gonzalo  and  RUIZ VALDEPENAS, María Asunción. Three outbreaks of brucellosis in a one-year period investigated by the occupational health service in Ciudad Real (Spain). Gac Sanit [online]. 2009, vol.23, n.6, pp.562-563. ISSN 0213-9111.

We describe 3 outbreaks of brucellosis investigated by our Occupational Health Service in a 1-year period. Two of these outbreaks, with 2 cases each, occurred in 2 cheese factories and the third outbreak, also with 2 cases, occurred in a cattle laboratory belonging to the local government. In both cheese factories, numerous opportunities for the workers to become infected were found. The greatest risk was considered to be the area for unloading milk, while failure to use personal protection equipment by workers, deficiencies in the laboratories, and the lack of effective separation between areas were also potential risk factors. In the cattle laboratory, we found at least 13 major risk factors that could allow brucellosis transmission. In Spain, there is a substantial risk of Brucella infection in laboratories or dairy factories and current preventive measures are ineffective.

Keywords : Brucellosis; Outbreak; Occupational.

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