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Analysis of Recognized Occupational Infectious Diseases in Germany Between 2018 and 2023
Carolyn Kästner1, Dirk Taeger, Stephanie Schneider
1From the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Berlin, Germany (C.K., L.E.); Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany (D.T., T.B.); and German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Berlin, Germany (S.S.).
Objective:
Occupational infections pose substantial health risks across various professional sectors. Understanding their precise diagnoses, severity and distribution among different occupations is crucial for effective prevention.
Methods:
Data on recognized occupational diseases from the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV, 2018-2022) and the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG, 2019-2023) were analyzed by pathogens, occupations, and reduction in earning capacity. SARS-CoV-2 infections were excluded.
Results:
The majority of recognized infectious occupational diseases (71.5%) occurred in health care, welfare, or laboratories. Among these, parasitic diseases (57%) and tuberculosis (35%) were dominating. Among zoonoses, Borrelia burgdorferi was the most frequent pathogen (41% and 58%, respectively). Plasmodium falciparum dominated among the tropical diseases (52%).
Conclusions:
Specific pathogens and occupational sectors are responsible for most of the occupational diseases, with the majority being not vaccine preventable. Prevention should therefore focus on organizational and technical measures as well as nonpharmaceutical interventions.
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