For over the past 50 years, cohort mortality studies have been one of the main methods used in epidemiology for evaluating cancer risk in workers occupationally exposed to carcinogens in various industries. They have proven effective and reliable in detecting the carcinogenic effects of agents such as asbestos, benzene, aniline dyes, etc. in the workplace. These studies have also been the main sources of the epidemiologic evidence that these agents are carcinogenic in humans. They have led to regulatory actions that have resulted in the dramatic reduction of such harmful exposures in the workplace, hence succeeded in protecting workers' health. The workplace is much safer now than it was 30-50 years ago because of these studies. However, in spite of the fact that a large number of these studies have been conducted in various occupational and industrial groups, attention has not been paid to workers in chicken slaughtering/processing plants. These workers typically belong to the lowest ? socioeconomic stratum and are among the lowest paid individuals in industry, with wages around the minimum allowed by law. Apart from the cohorts assembled in this proposed study, to our knowledge this occupational group has not been evaluated for cancer occurrence in cohort studies, even though other studies of weaker designs have suggested they may be at increased risk of developing cancer occupationally. This omission is all the more poignant because these workers are exposed at work to ? certain viruses that are among the most potent cancer-causing agents known in animals. In this application we propose to study cancer risk in this group of workers. The study will not only investigate whether exposure to infections with these viruses present a cancer hazard to these workers (i.e. cancer as an occupationally-induced infectious disease), it will also provide critical evidence as to whether human exposure to the oncogenic viruses of chickens in general is associated with the development of ? cancer. Infectious diseases are one of the priority areas identified by the National Institute for Occupation Safety and Health in its Occupational Safety and Health Research program. ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
7R01OH008071-03
Application #
7198245
Study Section
Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOH)
Program Officer
Karr, Joan
Project Start
2005-09-01
Project End
2007-04-30
Budget Start
2005-09-01
Budget End
2006-04-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$242,511
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Texas
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
110091808
City
Fort Worth
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
76107
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Felini, Martha; Preacely, Nikiconia; Shah, Nihita et al. (2012) A case-cohort study of lung cancer in poultry and control workers: occupational findings. Occup Environ Med 69:191-7
Johnson, Eric S; Zhou, Yi; Yau, C Lillian et al. (2011) Update of cancer and non-cancer mortality in the Missouri poultry cohort. Am J Ind Med 54:49-54
Johnson, Eric S; Ndetan, Harrison (2011) Non-cancer mortality in poultry slaughtering/processing plant workers belonging to a union pension fund. Environ Int 37:322-7
Johnson, Eric S; Zhou, Yi; Yau, C Lillian et al. (2011) Update of cancer and non-cancer mortality in the Missouri poultry cohort. Am J Ind Med 54:49-54
Felini, Martha; Johnson, Eric; Preacely, Nykiconia et al. (2011) A pilot case-cohort study of liver and pancreatic cancers in poultry workers. Ann Epidemiol 21:755-66
Choi, Kyung-Mee; Johnson, Eric S (2011) Occupational exposure assessment using antibody levels: exposure to avian leukosis/sarcoma viruses in the poultry industry. Int J Environ Health Res 21:306-16
Choi, Kyung-Mee; Johnson, Eric S (2011) Industrial hygiene assessment of reticuloendotheliosis viruses exposure in the poultry industry. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 84:375-82
Johnson, Eric S; Yau, Lillian C; Zhou, Yi et al. (2010) Mortality in the Baltimore union poultry cohort: non-malignant diseases. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 83:543-52
Johnson, Eric S; Ndetan, Harrison; Lo, Ka-Ming (2010) Cancer mortality in poultry slaughtering/processing plant workers belonging to a union pension fund. Environ Res 110:588-94

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