International Journal of Epidemiology, Vol 26, 1142-1150, Copyright © 1997 by International Epidemiological Association
ES Johnson, C Shorter, B Rider and R Jiles
BACKGROUND: Healthy chickens or turkeys and their eggs destined for human
consumption are commonly infected with viruses which cause cancer in these
animals. Some of the viruses can infect and transform human cells in vitro,
and human sera show serological evidence of infection with these viruses.
It is not known whether the viruses cause cancer in humans. METHODS: We
conducted a mortality study of a subcohort of 2639 workers in poultry
slaughtering plants who have one of the highest human exposures to these
viruses, and 6081 unexposed workers from non- meat companies (controls).
All were members of a local meatcutters' union in Baltimore. RESULTS:
Statistically significant increased risks were observed for cancer of the
oesophagus, liver cancer, tumours of the haemopoietic lymphatic system, and
motor vehicle accidents, in the group of poultry workers as a whole or in
particular race/sex subgroups. The results for other causes of death showed
consistently elevated risks in most race/sex subgroups, but these were not
statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The cohort is young, and because the
number of deaths is small, the results though suggestive of increased risks
for some causes, are inconclusive. However they indicate that this cohort
is of interest, and that further follow-up might reveal a much clearer and
consistent picture.
ARTICLES
Mortality from cancer and other diseases in poultry slaughtering/processing plants
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
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