The impact of farm animal exposures on Campylobacter jejuni antibody levels in rural agricultural communities of Iowa, USA
Year: 2022
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: Campylobacter infections transmitted primarily through improperly cooked meat are the leading bacterial cause of diarrhea worldwide. How exposures to farm animals and animal waste (e.g., through occupational contact or residential proximity to animal feeding operations [AFOs]) contribute to infections has been relatively understudied. METHODS: We measured antibodies against Campylobacter jejuni using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in participants from Iowa in the Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect in Agriculture study (n=304 farmers; n=146 non-farming controls from similar communities). Participants self-reported occupational animal contact within the past year. We used a statewide database of permitted AFOs that included animal counts standardized by animal size and manure production to characterize the intensity of AFO exposure within 5km of participants’ residences. We performed linear regressions of log-transformed optical density units (ODs) for immunoglobulin (Ig) A, G, and M antibody levels in relation to occupational animal and low/high AFO exposures, using non-farming controls with low AFO exposure (n=96) as the referent group. We adjusted for age, season, and other potential confounders. We further examined antibody levels by occupational contact with specific animal types. RESULTS: Occupational animal contact was associated with elevated IgA and IgG OD levels in those with low AFO exposure (geometric mean ratio [95% confidence interval]; IgA:1.34[1.07-1.67]; IgG:1.34[1.13-1.57]) as well as those with high AFO exposure (IgA:1.48[1.12-1.95]; IgG:1.34[1.09-1.65]). Antibody levels were higher in farmers raising poultry (IgA:2.20[1.03-4.71]; IgG:2.11[1.35-3.32]), swine (IgA:1.52[1.04-2.22]; IgG:1.50[1.17-1.94]), and dairy cattle (IgG:1.65[1.18-2.31]), particularly for IgG levels in those who reported spending time in poultry (2.29[1.25-4.19]) or swine (1.63[1.25-2.12]) confinements within the past month. We found no significant relationships between occupational animal contact and IgM or AFO exposure alone and any antibody levels. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational animal contact may be a stronger determinant of C. jejuni exposure than residential proximity to AFOs in agricultural communities. KEYWORDS: Campylobacter, animal exposures
Source: ISEE Conference Abstracts
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4320066113