https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3386-297X
![Sample our Health and Social Care journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5938/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Health-Social-Care.jpg"})
Abstract
Objective
Seafood workers have high risks of hand skin diseases. The purpose of this survey is to study the prevalence of occupational hand skin diseases in this population.
Methods
From March 2018 to October 2018, seafood workers in two food markets in Ningbo, China were investigated. Fungal microscopy and cultures from lesions on the hands and nails were performed. A community-based investigation of hand skin diseases was performed as a control group.
Results
One handred and eleven of 135 (82.2%) seafood workers in two food markets in Ningbo were taken into the investigation. The prevalence of hand dermatitis was 50.5% (56/111) in seafood workers, which is significantly higher than that of the control group (7.43%, p<0.001). It was found that the incidence of superficial fungal infection of the hands in seafood workers was much higher than that in community residents (26.1% vs 2.7%, p<0.001). Without wearing waterproof gloves, longer working time per day, longer history of seafood work increased the risk of hand dermatitis, instead of candidial infection of the hands and nails.
Conclusion
Hand skin diseases are highly prevalent in seafood workers in Ningbo, a city in eastern China. This public health problem should be addressed in this population.
Author Contributions
Formal analysis, FL, BL, ZS, SL and JQ; Investigation, FL, BL and ZS; Methodology, FL and JQ; Resources, FL, BL, ZS, SL and JQ; Writing – original draft, FL; Writing – review & editing, SL and JQ. All authors contributed to data analysis, drafting or revising the article, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Disclosure
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.