Under the surface: Unveiling the respiratory health crisis among mussel pickers in Kozhikode district, Southern India

Occupational respiratory diseases pose a considerable health challenge in various industries, especially within the global seafood processing sector. The intricate interactions between lifestyle, pre-existing medical disorders and occupational exposures pose a serious threat to respiratory health. This cross-sectional study explores the respiratory health crisis among mussel workers in Kozhikode District, Southern India. The study aimed to quantify lung function morbidity and the prevalence of respiratory illnesses in this population. Pulmonary function test revealed key finding, including a concerning prevalence of respiratory impairment among mussel workers (21.5 %). Cough with phlegm (14 %), sinusitis (11.8 %), wheezing (4.3 %), shortness of breath (4.3 %), epistaxis (6.5 %), and most significantly, hemoptysis (3 %), other symptoms vertigo (7.53 %) and ophthalmic complaints (4.3 %) were observed. Significant correlations between lung health and variables such as alcohol consumption, history of tuberculosis, smoking, adherence to personal protective equipment (PPE) were determined. The occupational practice of marine mussel harvesting through breath-hold free-diving imposes significant pulmonary risk. Our findings demonstrate that mussel pickers develop a mixed obstructive and restrictive pulmonary impairment. This pathology may be driven by the synergistic effects of repetitive mechanical lung injury.