| dc.description.abstract | Animal husbandry is a high-risk subsector of agriculture as it involves exposures to potentially hazardous animals, materials and machinery. Zoonozes are defined as infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa, and they are considered as one of the main occupational hazards in animal husbandry. An international network ‘Safety Culture and Risk Management in Agriculture (SACURIMA, COST Action 16123)’ was established to evaluate health and safety programs, advance risk management knowledge, improve statistics on injuries and illnesses, and publish obtained results. With the aim to identify emerging zoonoses and to define preventive and control measures for occupational zoonotic hazards, a Workshop “Safety and Risk Management tools adapted to Zoonoses risks” was held in Novi Sad in March 2019. Q-fever, leptospirosis, Hepatitis E, West Nile virus, brucellosis, avian and swine influenza and mycobacterial diseases were recognized as important zoonotic hazards for farm workers. The main risk factors include contact of workers with infected animals (saliva, blood, feces); material and products from infected animals; contaminated aerosols, dust, water and infected vectors involved in transmission of zoonoses. In Serbia, the most common zoonosis among livestock owners is Q-fever with 332 human cases reported between 2007 and 2016. The conclusions of the Workshop were that safe and clean environment, regular health monitoring, education, use of protective equipment, vector and pest control strategies and biosecurity measures are the most important preventive and control measures. The participants initiated work on multidisciplinary approach involving veterinarians, physicians and public health officials to meet these requirements. | en_US |
