Seroprevalence of spotted fever rickettsiosis and ehrlichiosis among food processing workers and their families in Latino communities in North Carolina

Melissa K Cutshaw, Michael Sciaudone, Brenda Vasquez-Martinez, Colleen M McClean, Oksana Kharabora, Katherine Murray, Stephen Strohminger, Miriana Moreno Zivanovich, Rachel Gurnett, Emperatriz Morales Salgado, Ross M Boyce and Natalie M Bowman

PLOS Global Public Health, 2025, vol. 5, issue 9, 1-13

Abstract: Workers in food processing industries are subject to many occupational health risks and disparities, but little is known about their risk of tickborne diseases. We examined a cohort of Latino individuals working in the meat packing, produce processing, and farming industries and their family members in central North Carolina, where incidence of tickborne infections is high. Blood samples were tested for IgG antibodies against Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis (SFGR) and Ehrlichia chaffeensis. Covariates of interest included age, sex, primary language, work industry, indoor vs. outdoor work, home characteristics, medical comorbidities, and travel history. Among 201 Latino food processing workers and their family members, the seroprevalence of SFGR and Ehrlichia was 14.9% and 19.9%, respectively. Almost a third of participants were seropositive for at least one infection. SFGR seropositive individuals were significantly older than seronegative individuals (median 45 [interquartile range 35–55] vs. 33 [14–45] years, p

Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pgph00:0005116

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0005116

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