Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Case Report

Case series of keratitis in poultry abattoir workers induced by exposure to the ultraviolet disinfection lamp: Do-Hyeong Kwon, Jai-Dong Moon, Won-Ju Park, Won-Yang Kang, Soo-Hyeon Kim, Hyeong-Min Lim, Ji-Sung Ahn, Hong-Jae Chae; Ann Occup Environ Med 2016;28:3. Published online January 15, 2016; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-015-0087-7

Background

An outbreak of eye diseases occurred among workers at a poultry abattoir in South Korea from December 2012 to June 2013. An epidemiological investigation of the causative agent was conducted. The workers were given a special health examination and workplace environmental monitoring was performed. Workers with ocular symptoms subsequently underwent an ophthalmic examination.

Case Presentaion

From a total of 41 workers, 26 (63.4 %) were diagnosed with keratoepitheliopathy by ophthalmic examination. Environmental monitoring of the workplace revealed that the ultraviolet (UV) apron-disinfection lamp had not been turning off at the set times, and so the workers’ faces had been exposed to UV radiation. Effective radiation dose measurement showed a UV-B exposure of 7-30 μW/cm², and a UV-C exposure of 40-200 μW/cm²; both values exceed the occupational exposure limits. The outbreak ceased after the lamp was repaired.

Conclusions

This case shows that inappropriate use of the UV disinfection lamp can cause mass photokeratitis. In order to prevent this, the UV disinfection lamp must be checked regularly, workers must be educated on the health effects of UV radiation, and appropriate eye protection must be worn.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Photokeratitis in Outdoor Event Participants Exposed to UV Radiation Display
Julia Y. Y. Chan, Vanissa W. S. Chow, Carmen K. M. Chan, Edmund Y. M. Chan, James S. K. Lau, Timothy Y. Y. Lai, Alvin L. Young, Clement C. Y. Tham
JAMA Ophthalmology.2024; 142(6): 568. CrossRef
UV Protection in the Cornea: Failure and Rescue
Thomas Volatier, Björn Schumacher, Claus Cursiefen, Maria Notara
Biology.2022; 11(2): 278. CrossRef
Photobiomodulation of the Visual System and Human Health
John Buch, Billy Hammond
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2020; 21(21): 8020. CrossRef
An outbreak of bilateral photokeratitis and eyelid erythema following exposure to an artificial source of ultraviolet radiation, Tamil Nadu, India, 2018
Polani Rubeshkumar, Manickam Ponnaiah, S. Varun Prakash, Ramanujam Balasubramanian, Shanmugham Somasundaram, Balasubramanian Premkumar, Kolandaswamy Karumana Gounder, Manoj V. Murhekar
Environmental Epidemiology.2020; 4(6): e118. CrossRef
An outbreak of bilateral photokeratitis among an indoor school event attendees attributable to unshielded mercury vapour and metal halide lights, Eruvadi village, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, South India, 2018
Polani Chandrasekar Rubeshkumar, P. Manickam, D. Anandhi, S. Senthil Kumar, M. Rita Hepsi Rani, B. Premkumar, Kolandaswamy Karumana Gounder
Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health.2019; 7(4): 680. CrossRef
Photokeratitis among restaurant workers: A case series
Matthew P. Stripp, Anna R. Dulaney, Michael C. Beuhler, Ricky L. Langley
American Journal of Industrial Medicine.2018; 61(9): 780. CrossRef

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