A cross-sectional study with follow-up was done in five communities involved in aquaculture in peri-urban Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to assess the association between skin disease, particularly dermatitis and occupational wastewater exposure. From 200 selected households 650 household members aged≥15 years were visited and examined dermatologically three times in July 2004, January and May 2005. Overall dermatitis prevalence was 6.1%. However, all cases (116) were found in the two wastewater villages involved in aquatic plant culture. Risk factor analysis restricted to the two wastewater villages showed that involvement in wastewater-fed aquatic plant production increased the risk of dermatitis in the univariable analysis but not in the multivariable analysis. Among family members involved in wastewater-fed aquatic plant production a longer duration of daily wastewater contact did not increase the risk of dermatitis in the multivariable analysis. Wet season, older age and having a history of skin problems in the three months prior to each survey were associated significantly with dermatitis. Very few aquaculture workers applied personal protection and the factor had no significant effect on dermatitis. The present study did not show a consistent association between occupational exposure to wastewater and dermatitis, unlike similar Vietnamese studies.
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Research Article|
February 01 2009
Peri-urban aquatic plant culture and skin disease in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Vuong Tuan Anh;
1Division of Enteric Infections, Department of Microbiology, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, 1 Yersin Street, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam
Tel.: +84 4 8 219074 Fax: +84 49 719 045; E-mail: [email protected]
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Wim van der Hoek;
Wim van der Hoek
2International Water Management Institute, PO Box 2075, Colombo, Sri Lanka
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Annette Kjær Ersbøll;
Annette Kjær Ersbøll
3Department of Large Animal Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 8, 1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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Chan Vicheth;
Chan Vicheth
4National Clinic for Dermatology and STD Unit, National Center for HIV/AIDS-Dermatology & STD Control, Street 215 (Neruh) # 138, Sangkat Vealvong, Khan 7 Makara, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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Phung Dac Cam;
Phung Dac Cam
1Division of Enteric Infections, Department of Microbiology, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, 1 Yersin Street, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam
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Anders Dalsgaard
Anders Dalsgaard
*Previously at:Department of Disease Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 15, 1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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J Water Health (2009) 7 (2): 302–311.
Article history
Received:
October 27 2007
Accepted:
June 18 2008
Citation
Vuong Tuan Anh, Wim van der Hoek, Annette Kjær Ersbøll, Chan Vicheth, Phung Dac Cam, Anders Dalsgaard; Peri-urban aquatic plant culture and skin disease in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. J Water Health 1 June 2009; 7 (2): 302–311. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2009.128
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