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Background: Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) is the main causative agent of bovine zoonotic tuberculosis. The aim of this systematic review is to highlight the occupational exposure to bovine tuberculosis due to M. bovis., Methodology/principal Findings: A computer based literature search was carried out to identify papers published between January 2006 and March 2017. "PubMed, Cochrane Library and Science Direct" databases were searched systematically. Articles presenting the following properties were included: (i) focusing on M. bovis; (ii) concerning occupational exposure to bovine tuberculosis. A quality assessment was performed after selection of studies. Our search strategy identified a total of 3,264 papers of which 29 studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the 29 articles, 17 were cross-sectional studies (6 were of high quality and scored in the range of 6-7, 11 were of moderate quality and scored in the range 3-5), 10 were case reports, and 2 were reviews. Different occupational fields exposing to the disease were described: livestock sector, particularly in contact with dairy cattle (farmers, veterinaries and assistants, abattoir workers) and working in contact with wildlife (hunters, taxidermists)., Conclusions: A specific guideline for occupational practitioners taking care of employees exposed to bovine tuberculosis is warranted and should be tailored to level of exposure. This review was intended to be the first step of such a project. Articles were identified from various continents and countries with different socio-economic situations, broadening our understanding of the worldwide situation. Published data on occupational exposure in developed countries are scarce. We had to extrapolate findings from countries with higher prevalence of the disease.

Competing Interests: F. Herin, S. Prevot et J.-M. Soulat déclarent n’avoir aucun lien d’intérêts.

Background: Fipronil represents a chemical class of insecticides acting at the γ-aminobutyric acid receptor in pests. [corrected] Fipronil has been associated with a significant increase in the incidence of thyroid gland tumors concomitant with prolonged exposure to thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in rats. An association between human TSH concentration and thyroid cancer has been also reported. The primary objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that chronic occupational fipronil exposure may be associated with abnormal thyroid function tests., Methods: In 2008, 159 workers of a factory manufacturing fipronil-containing veterinary drugs were assessed. Serum concentrations of TSH, total thyroxine, free thyroxine, fipronil, and fipronil sulfone were measured., Results: A positive and significant correlation was observed between serum fipronil or fipronil sulfone levels and duration of fipronil exposure. Serum fipronil sulfone concentration was negatively correlated with TSH concentration in fipronil-exposed workers, but with no significant increase in thyroid function test abnormalities., Conclusion: This study did not show that chronic fipronil exposure was associated with an increase of thyroid function test abnormalities. But, despite the fact that fipronil exposure in rats has been associated with increased serum TSH, fipronil sulfone concentrations were negatively correlated with serum TSH concentrations in fipronil-exposed workers, raising the possibility that fipronil has a central inhibitory effect on TSH secretion in humans. Close occupational medical surveillance, therefore, appears to be required in factory workers manufacturing fipronil-containing veterinary drugs. Larger epidemiological studies as well as investigations on possible thyroid-disrupting mechanisms of fipronil are also required.

Objective: This study evaluates individual airborne exposure to gaseous and particulate carcinogenic pollutants in a group of policemen working close to traffic in the center of Grenoble, France., Methods: Sixty-two personal active air samples were collected during the workshifts of eight policemen in summer and in winter during the occurrence of the thermal inversion phenomenon. Seventeen stationary air samples were monitored in the policemen's work area during the same period with the same sampling devices as used for the personal samples. The respirable particle concentration was determined using the gravimetric method. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and aldehydes were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric or ultraviolet detection. The benzene-toluene-xylene levels were determined with gas chromatography with flame ionization detection., Results: The median concentration of the personal samples for respirable particles was 55.5 microg/m3 in the summer and 124 microg/m3 in the winter. The corresponding values were 0.10 and 0.28 ng/m3 for benzo(a)pyrene, 14 and 21 microg/m3 for formaldehyde, and 10.5 and 23.5 microg/m3 for benzene. The median personal concentrations were equal to or higher than the corresponding stationary levels for both seasons. Compared with the concentration of aldehydes, the concentrations of respirable particles, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and benzene-toluene-xylene appeared to show higher individual variability., Conclusions: The occupational exposure of policemen does not exceed any currently applicable occupational or medical exposure limits. Individual particulate levels should preferably be monitored in Grenoble in winter to avoid underestimations.