Dermatologic hazards among slaughterhouse workers

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of skin diseases especially viral warts among Egyptian slaughterhouse workers. 535 subjects working at a manual and semiautomatic slaughterhouses and a meat manufacturing factory (exposed and non-exposed to raw meat & meat products) as well as a control group of 322 persons working at a textile factory at Cairo area were dermatologically examined at the workplace. Results show that the prevalence of all skin diseases among exposed workers (52.17%) is significantly higher than either non-exposed (34.67%) or control (35.71%) groups. Infectious cutaneous papillomas (viral warts) represent the commonest skin disease among occupational exposed workers (27.61%). This prevalence is significantly higher than both figures of non-exposed (13.33%) as well as control (4.66%) groups. Verruca vulgaris represent the commonest type of viral warts among examined workers. The use of protective gloves reduced significantly the prevalence of warts among examined workers meanwhile semi-automation of the processes, type of meat exposure, type of occupation have no significant effect on the prevalence of warts among examined slaughter-housemen.