{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,4]],"date-time":"2026-10-04T11:44:48Z","timestamp":1791114288324,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2014,2,5]],"date-time":"2014-02-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1391558400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Leptospirosis is an important occupational disease in New Zealand. The objectives of this study were to determine risk factors for sero-prevalence of leptospiral antibodies in abattoir workers. Sera were collected from 567 abattoir workers and tested by microscopic agglutination for Leptospira interrogans sv. Pomona and Leptospira borgpetersenii sv. Hardjobovis. Association between prevalence and risk factors were determined by species specific multivariable analysis. Eleven percent of workers had antibodies against Hardjobovis or\/and Pomona. Workers from the four sheep abattoirs had an average sero-prevalence of 10%\u201331%, from the two deer abattoirs 17%\u201319% and the two beef abattoirs 5%.  The strongest risk factor for sero-positivity in sheep and deer abattoirs was work position. In sheep abattoirs, prevalence was highest at stunning and hide removal, followed by removal of the bladder and kidneys. Wearing personal protective equipment such as gloves and facemasks did not appear to protect against infection. Home slaughtering, farming or hunting were not significantly associated with sero-prevalence. There is substantial risk of exposure to leptospires in sheep and deer abattoirs in New Zealand and a persisting,  but lower risk, in beef abattoirs. Interventions, such as animal vaccination, appear necessary to control leptospirosis as an occupational disease in New Zealand.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph110201756","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,2,5]],"date-time":"2014-02-05T10:45:44Z","timestamp":1391597144000},"page":"1756-1775","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":48,"title":["Sero-Prevalence and Risk Factors for Leptospirosis in Abattoir Workers in New Zealand"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Anou","family":"Dreyfus","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"EpiCentre, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand"},{"name":"Section of Epidemiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7814-4341","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jackie","family":"Benschop","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EpiCentre, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Julie","family":"Collins-Emerson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Peter","family":"Wilson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1865-1536","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michael","family":"Baker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health, University of Otago, P.O. Box 7343, Wellington 6242, New Zealand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cord","family":"Heuer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EpiCentre, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2014,2,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.2007.36750","article-title":"Leptospirosis in farmed deer in new zealand: A review","volume":"55","author":"Wilson","year":"2007","journal-title":"New Zealand Veterinary Journal"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.2002.36270","article-title":"Fifty years of leptospirosis research in new zealand: A perspective","volume":"50","author":"Marshall","year":"2002","journal-title":"New Zealand Veterinary Journal"},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Dreyfus, A., Verdugo, C., Benschop, J., Collins-Emerson, J., Wilson, P., and Heuer, C. (,  2011). Leptospirosis sero-prevalence and associated economic loss in new zealand livestock. Proceedings of the food safety, animal welfare & biosecurity, epidemiology & animal health management, and industry branches of the nzva, VetLearn Foundation, Palmerston North, New zealand."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1017\/S0950268801006392","article-title":"Changing epidemiology of human leptospirosis in new zealand","volume":"128","author":"Thornley","year":"2002","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"184","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.2010.68863","article-title":"Regional seroprevalence of leptospirosis on deer farms in new zealand","volume":"58","author":"Wilson","year":"2010","journal-title":"New Zealand Veterinary Journal"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"164","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.2008.36829","article-title":"Prevalence of pathogenic leptospira spp. In sheep in a sheep-only abattoir in new zealand","volume":"56","author":"Dorjee","year":"2008","journal-title":"New Zealand Veterinary Journal"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"797","DOI":"10.1017\/S0950268810002049","article-title":"Assessment of occupational exposure to leptospirosis in a sheep-only abattoir","volume":"139","author":"Dorjee","year":"2011","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Victoriano, A.F.B., Smythe, L.D., Gloriani-Barzaga, N., Cavinta, L.L., Kasai, T., Limpakarnjanarat, K., Ong, B.L., Gongal, G., Hall, J., and Coulombe, C.A. (2009). Leptospirosis in the asia pacific region. Bmc Infectious Diseases, 9.","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2334-9-147"},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) Annual surveillance summary: Notifiable and other diseases in new zealand: Annual report. Available online:https:\/\/surv.esr.cri.nz\/surveillance\/annual_surveillance.php."},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"Dreyfus, A. (2009). Massey university human ethics application: Slaughter carcasses as a source for human infection with leptospira serotypes hardjo, pomona and ballum at abattoirs in new zealand. Southern a, application 09\/08., Massey University. unpublished."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Faine, S., Adler, B., Bolin, C., and Perolat, P. (1999). Leptospira and leptospirosis, [2nd ed.]. MediSci."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1016\/0167-5877(94)90074-4","article-title":"Study design and analytic methods for data collected from clusters of animals","volume":"18","author":"McDermott","year":"1994","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hosmer, D.W., and Lemeshow, S. (2000). Applied logistic regression, John Wiley & Sons Inc. [Second ed.].","DOI":"10.1002\/0471722146"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.1981.34815","article-title":"Leptospirosis in new zealand: An ecological view","volume":"29","author":"Hathaway","year":"1981","journal-title":"New Zealand Veterinary Journal"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"995","DOI":"10.2460\/ajvr.2001.62.995","article-title":"Use of a monovalent leptospiral vaccine to prevent venal colonization and urinary shedding in cattle exposed to leptospira borgpetersenii serovar hardjo","volume":"62","author":"Bolin","year":"2001","journal-title":"American Journal of Veterinary Research"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.1982.34933","article-title":"Prevention of leptospira interrogans serovar pomona infection in cattle","volume":"30","author":"Marshall","year":"1982","journal-title":"New Zealand Veterinary Journal"},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Dreyfus, A., Benschop, J., Collins-Emerson, J., Wilson, P., and Heuer, C. (2010). Leptospirosis sero-prevalence in meat workers - interim study report 1 EpiCentre."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"296","DOI":"10.1128\/CMR.14.2.296-326.2001","article-title":"Leptospirosis","volume":"14","author":"Levett","year":"2001","journal-title":"Clinical Microbiology Reviews"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"695","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.2009.09-0252","article-title":"The microscopic agglutination test (mat) is an unreliable predictor of infecting leptospira serovar in thailand","volume":"81","author":"Smythe","year":"2009","journal-title":"Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"743","DOI":"10.1177\/1040638711407892","article-title":"Evaluation of a syto9 real-time polymerase chain reaction assay to detect and identify pathogenic leptospira species in kidney tissue and urine of new zealand farmed deer","volume":"23","author":"Subharat","year":"2011","journal-title":"Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.2011.624985","article-title":"Growth response and shedding of leptospira spp. In urine following vaccination for leptospirosis in young farmed deer","volume":"60","author":"Subharat","year":"2012","journal-title":"New Zealand Veterinary Journal"},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"Shivakumar, S., and Krishnakumar, B. (2006). Diagnosis of leptospirosis - role of mat. Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, 54."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1245","DOI":"10.1128\/CVI.00217-07","article-title":"Evaluation of four whole-cell leptospira-based serological tests for diagnosis of urban leptospirosis","volume":"14","author":"McBride","year":"2007","journal-title":"Clinical and Vaccine Immunology"},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"494","article-title":"The occupational hazards of leptospirosis in the meat industry","volume":"95","author":"Blackmore","year":"1982","journal-title":"New Zealand Medical Journal"},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"415","article-title":"Leptospirosis in meat inspectors - preliminary-results of a serological survey","volume":"90","author":"Blackmore","year":"1979","journal-title":"New Zealand Medical Journal"},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"39","article-title":"Sero-prevalence of leptospirosis in workers at a new zealand slaughterhouse","volume":"122","author":"Benschop","year":"2009","journal-title":"The New Zealand Medical Journal"},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Dorjee, S., Ridler, A., Collins, J.M., Midwinter, A., West, D.M., Heuer, C., and Jackson, R. (,  2005). Leptospirosis in sheep in new zealand. Proceedings of the society of sheep and beef cattle veterinarians of the new zealand veterinary association, Palmerston North, New Zealand."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.1998.36077","article-title":"Observations of leptospirosis in farmed deer","volume":"46","author":"Wilson","year":"1998","journal-title":"New Zealand Veterinary Journal"},{"key":"ref_29","unstructured":"Dreyfus, A. (2013). Leptospirosis in humans and pastoral livestock in new zealand. [PhD, Massey University]."},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"83","article-title":"The magnitude and duration of titers of leptospiral agglutinins in human-sera","volume":"97","author":"Blackmore","year":"1984","journal-title":"New Zealand Medical Journal"},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"Alban, L., and Kelly, L.A. Epidemiology and control of leptospirosis in new zealand. Conference proceedings of society for veterinary epidemiology and preventive medicine, 24-26 march, 2010."},{"key":"ref_32","first-page":"27","article-title":"Vaccination of dairy cattle against leptospirosis as a means of preventing human infections","volume":"23","author":"Marshall","year":"1996","journal-title":"Surveillance"},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"New Zealand Pork Industry Board Animal status declaration (asd) form http:\/\/www.nzpork.co.nz\/Portals\/NZPib\/Documents\/Publications\/NZPork%20ASDP%20Download%20FORM.pdf."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"Wilson, P., Glossop, J.C., van der Kroef, J.W., Heuer, C., and Stringer, L. (,  2008). Disease and deer farm productivity and profitability, Proceedings of the Deer Branch of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, New Zealand."},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"Keenan, B. (2007). Leptospirosis: Reducing the impact on new zealand workplaces, Department of Labour."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"93","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1751-0813.1982.tb00598.x","article-title":"Evaluation of a hardjo-pomona vaccine to prevent leptospiruria in cattle exposed to a natural challenge with leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo","volume":"58","author":"Allen","year":"1982","journal-title":"Aust. Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"174","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.1980.34741","article-title":"The use of a hardjo-pomona vaccine to prevent leptospiruria in cattle exposed to natural challenge with leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo","volume":"28","author":"Mackintosh","year":"1980","journal-title":"New Zealand Veterinary Journal"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.1979.34646","article-title":"Protection of sheep by vaccination against artificial challenge with leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo","volume":"27","author":"Marshall","year":"1979","journal-title":"New Zealand Veterinary Journal"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.2011.579554","article-title":"Vaccination for leptospirosis improved the weaning percentage of 2-year-old farmed red deer hinds in new zealand","volume":"59","author":"Subharat","year":"2011","journal-title":"New Zealand Veterinary Journal"}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/11\/2\/1756\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T21:07:56Z","timestamp":1760216876000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/11\/2\/1756"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2014,2,5]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2014,2]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph110201756"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph110201756","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1660-4601","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2014,2,5]]}}}