Journal of Agromedicine
Volume 24, Issue 4, 2019, Pages 441-448

Exposures and Health Effects of Bioaerosols in Seafood Processing Workers - a Position Statement (Review) (Open Access)

Bonlokke J.H.* , Bang B. , Aasmoe L. , Rahman A.M.A. , Syron L.N. , Andersson E. , Dahlman-Höglund A. , Lopata A.L. , Jeebhay M.
  • a Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Center, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
  • b Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway, Department of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
  • c Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway, Department of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
  • d Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, College of Medicine, Al Faisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
  • e Western States Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, AK, United States
  • f Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • g Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • h Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia, Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
  • i Occupational Medicine Division and Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Occupational hazards exist in the processing of seafood both in land-based facilities as well as on board vessels. Recent findings on occupational injury and respiratory health risks among seafood processing workers were presented and discussed at the IFISH5 conference. Particular emphasis was put on the challenges that im/migrant workers encounter, the greater risks onboard factory vessels, especially where processing machinery are retrofitted to older vessels not primarily designed for this purpose, and the difficulties in assessing and preventing bioaerosol exposures and associated respiratory health risks despite recent advances in characterising agents responsible for allergic and non-allergic reactions. Based on appraisal of existing knowledge in the published literature and new findings presented at the conference, recommendations for immediate actions as well as for future research have been proposed. Among these include the importance of improving extraction ventilation systems, optimising machinery performance, enclosure of bioaerosol sources, improved work organization, and making special efforts to identify and support the needs of im/migrant workers to ensure they also benefit from such improvements. There is a need for studies that incorporate longitudinal study designs, have improved exposure and diagnostic methods, and that address seafood processing in countries with high seafood processing activities such as Asia and those that involve im/migrant workers worldwide. The medical and scientific community has an important role to play in prevention but cannot do this in isolation and should cooperate closely with hygienists, engineers, and national and international agencies to obtain better health outcomes for workers in the seafood industry. © 2019, © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Author Keywords

Seafood crustaceans fish Endotoxin Asthma Allergens Allergy bioaerosols rhinitis

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85071329868&doi=10.1080%2f1059924X.2019.1646685&partnerID=40&md5=65bcac05b511387961ec49efd1d849c8
DOI: 10.1080/1059924X.2019.1646685
ISSN: 1059924X
Original Language: English