Risk Practices for Occupational Zoonotic Exposure to Tuberculosis in a High-Risk Population in Portugal

Abstract

Concerning large game in Portugal, there is an epidemiological risk area for tuberculosis where the pressure of tuberculosis infection in wild animals is high. Hunters and other people involved in managing carcasses (evisceration and/or initial examination) of these animals should be considered as a high-risk population for sporadic occupational zoonotic infection. This study aims to evaluate and indicate these stakeholders' main risk practices. The survey was carried out in two phases: a first phase with an anonymous survey to hunters about self-consumption of game meat and carcass handling practices, and a second phase of evaluation in loco of the practices carried out at collection points after driven hunts. As the main results suggested in this study, bad practices and improper handling of hunted carcasses potentially infected with tuberculosis were marked in both phases of the survey, mostly related to the lack of recognition of tuberculosis-like lesions and the non-use of individual protection material, such as gloves and masks. It is evident that stakeholders are interested in learning more about how to perform initial examination properly and what kind of biosecurity measures can be adopted to minimize zoonotic infection risk.