Risk of infection and tracking of work-related infectious diseases in the funeral industry

American Journal of Infection Control

Volumn 34, Issue 10, 2006, Pages 655-660

  Davidson, Susan Salter ^a,b   Benjamin Jr , William H ^c  

^a UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM   (United States)

^b Jefferson State Community College   (United States)

^c University of Alabama at Birmingham   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ARTICLE; BACTERIAL INFECTION; COCCIDIA; HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL; HEALTH CARE POLICY; HELICOBACTER; HEPATITIS A; HUMAN; INFECTION CONTROL; INFECTION RATE; INFECTION RISK; METHICILLIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS; NONHUMAN; OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE; OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY; POSTHUMOUS CARE; PRACTICE GUIDELINE; SALMONELLA TYPHI; SHIGELLA; STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES; VIRUS INFECTION; WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION;

BACTERIAL INFECTIONS; CAUSE OF DEATH; COMMUNICABLE DISEASES; GUIDELINE ADHERENCE; HEALTH POLICY; HUMANS; INFECTION CONTROL; MORTUARY PRACTICE; OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES; OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE; OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH; POPULATION SURVEILLANCE; PRACTICE GUIDELINES; PRION DISEASES; RISK FACTORS; UNITED STATES; VIRUS DISEASES; WORKPLACE;

EID: 33845186233     PISSN: 01966553     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2006.05.290     Document Type: Article

References (80)

1. Creely KS. Infection risks and embalming. Institute of Occupational Medicine. 2004. Available at: http://www.iom-world.org/pubs/IOM_TMO401.pdf. Accessed April 1, 2005.
2. National Center for Health Statistics. Death: final data for 2003. National Vital Statistics Reports 2006. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/finaldeaths03_tables.pdf#2. Accessed January 28, 2006.
3. National Funeral Directors Association. National Funeral Directors Association fact sheet 2005. Available at: http://www.nfda.org/nfdafactsheets.php. Accessed July 27, 2005.
4. Rose G.W., and Hockett R.N. The microbiologic evaluation and enumeration of postmortem species from human remains. Health Lab Sci 8 (1971) 75-78
5. Hinson M.R. Final report on literature search on the infectious nature of dead bodies for the Embalming Chemical Manufactures Association. Embalming Chemical Manufacturers Association 1968. In: Mayer R.G. (Ed). Embalming history, theory, and practice. 3rd ed. (2000), McGraw Hill, New York 649-652
6. Rendon L.R. Dangers of infection. In: Mayer R.G. (Ed). Embalming history, theory, and practice. 3rd ed. (2000), McGraw Hill, New York 652-654
7. Nolte K.B., Taylor D.G., and Richmond J.Y. Biosafety considerations for autopsy. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 23 (2002) 107-122
8. Healing T.D., Hoffman P.N., and Young S.E. The infection hazards of human cadavers. Commun Dis Rep CDR Rev 5 (1995) R61-R68
9. Gershon R.R., Vlahov D., Farzadegan H., and Alter M.J. Occupational risk of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus infections among funeral service practitioners in Maryland. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 16 (1995) 194-197
10. Gershon R.R., Vlahov D., Escamilla-Cejudo J.A., Badawi M., McDiarmid M., Karkashian C., et al. Tuberculosis risk in funeral home employees. J Occup Environ Med 40 (1998) 497-503
11. Nwanyanwu O.C., Tabasuri T.H., and Harris G.R. Exposure to and precautions for blood and body fluids among workers in the funeral home franchises of Fort Worth, Texas. Am J Infect Control 17 (1989) 208-212
12. Burton J.L. Health and safety at necropsy. J Clin Pathol 56 (2003) 254-260
13. Morgan O. Infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters. Rev Panam Salud Publica 15 (2004) 307-312
14. Hanzlick R. Embalming, body preparation, burial, and disinterment: an overview for forensic pathologists. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 15 (1994) 122-131
15. Claydon S.M. The high-risk autopsy: recognition and protection. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 14 (1993) 253-256
16. Fridkin S.K., Hageman J.C., Morrison M., Sanza L.T., Como-Sabetti K., Jernigan J.A., et al. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus disease in three communities. N Engl J Med 352 (2005) 1436-1444
17. O'Brien K.L., Beall B., Barrett N.L., Cieslak P.R., Reingold A., Farley M.M., et al. Epidemiology of invasive group A streptococcus disease in the United States, 1995-1999. Clin Infect Dis 35 (2002) 268-276
18. Kuehnert M.J., Hill H.A., Kupronis B.A., Tokars J.I., Solomon S.L., and Jernigan D.B. Methicillin-resistant-Staphylococcus aureus hospitalizations, United States. Emerg Infect Dis 11 (2005) 868-872
19. Lowy F.D. Staphylococcus aureus infections. N Engl J Med 339 (1998) 520-532
20. Greene C.M., Van Beneden C.A., Javadi M., Skoff T.H., Beall B., Facklam R., et al. Cluster of deaths from group A streptococcus in a long-term care facility-Georgia, 2001. Am J Infect Control 33 (2005) 108-113
21. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Active Bacterial Core Surveillance (ABCs) Report Emerging Infections Program Network: group A streptococcus, 2004-provisional. 2005. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/abcs/survreports/gas04prelim.pdf. Accessed January 28, 2006.
22. Hawkey P.M., Pedler S.J., and Southall P.J. Streptococcus pyogenes: a forgotten occupational hazard in the mortuary. Br Med J 281 (1980) 1058
23. Sepkowitz K.A. Occupationally acquired infections in health care workers. Part II. Ann Intern Med 125 (1996) 917-928
24. Swaminathan B., Barrett T.J., and Fields P. Surveillance for human Salmonella infections in the United States. J AOAC Int 89 (2006) 553-559
25. Niyogi S.K. Shigellosis. J Microbiol 43 (2005) 133-143
26. Schwaber M.J., Navon-Venezia S., Kaye K.S., Ben-Ami R., Schwartz D., and Carmeli Y. Clinical and economic impact of bacteremia with extended- spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 50 (2006) 1257-1262
27. Tumbarello M., Spanu T., Sanguinetti M., Citton R., Montuori E., Leone F., et al. Bloodstream infections caused by extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae: risk factors, molecular epidemiology, and clinical outcome. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 50 (2006) 498-504
28. Moolman G.J., Jankowits C.E., Bezuidenhout S., and Pitout J.D. Beta-lactamases in Enterobacteriaceae-an ever-present threat. S Afr Med J 96 (2006) 331-334
29. Gamage B., Moore D., Copes R., Yassi A., and Bryce E. Protecting health care workers from SARS and other respiratory pathogens: a review of the infection control literature. Am J Infect Control 33 (2005) 114-121
30. Moore D., Gamage B., Bryce E., Copes R., and Yassi A. Protecting health care workers from SARS and other respiratory pathogens: organizational and individual factors that affect adherence to infection control guidelines. Am J Infect Control 33 (2005) 88-96
31. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tuberculosis in the United States. 2004. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/tb/surv/surv2004/default.htm. Accessed October 1, 2005.
32. Lauzardo M., Lee P., Duncan H., and Hale Y. Transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to a funeral director during routine embalming. Chest 119 (2001) 640-642
33. Sterling T.R., Pope D.S., Bishai W.R., Harrington S., Gershon R.R., and Chaisson R.E. Transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from a cadaver to an embalmer. N Engl J Med 342 (2000) 246-248
34. Demiryurek D., Bayramoglu A., and Ustacelebi S. Infective agents in fixed human cadavers: a brief review and suggested guidelines. Anat Rec 269 (2002) 194-197
35. World Health Organization. Hospital infection control guidance for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). 2003. Available at: http://www.who.int/csr/sars/infectioncontrol/en/. Accessed October 1, 2005.
36. World Health Organization. Consensus document on the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). 2003. Available at: http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/WHOconsensus.pdf. Accessed October 1, 2005.
37. Turner S.B., Kunches L.M., Gordon K.F., Travers P.H., and Mueller N.E. Occupational exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) among embalmers: a pilot seroprevalence study. Am J Public Health 79 (1989) 1425-1426
38. Douceron H., Deforges L., Gherardi R., Sobel A., and Chariot P. Long-lasting postmortem viability of human immunodeficiency virus: a potential risk in forensic medicine practice. Forensic Sci Int 60 (1993) 61-66
39. Beltrami E.M., Williams I.T., Shapiro C.N., and Chamberland M.E. Risk and management of blood-borne infections in health care workers. Clin Microbiol Rev 13 (2000) 385-407
40. Riddell L.A., and Sherrard J. Blood-borne virus infection: the occupational risks. Int J STD AIDS 11 (2000) 632-639
41. Twitchell K.T. Bloodborne pathogens: what you need to know. Part II. AAOHN J 51 (2003) 89-97
42. Beck-Sague C.M., Jarvis W.R., Fruehling J.A., Ott C.E., Higgins M.T., and Bates F.L. Universal precautions and mortuary practitioners: influence on practices and risk of occupationally acquired infection. J Occup Med 33 (1991) 874-878
43. McDonald L. Blood exposure and protection in funeral homes. Am J Infect Control 17 (1989) 193-195
44. Mahoney F.J., Stewart K., Hu H., Coleman P., and Alter M.J. Progress toward the elimination of hepatitis B virus transmission among health care workers in the United States. Arch Intern Med 157 (1997) 2601-2605
45. Memon M.I., and Memon M.A. Hepatitis C: an epidemiological review. J Viral Hepat 9 (2002) 84-100
46. Williams I. Epidemiology of hepatitis C in the United States. Am J Med 107 (1999) S2-S9
47. Alter M.J., Kruszon-Moran D., Nainan O.V., McQuillan G.M., Gao F., Moyer L.A., et al. The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in the United States, 1988 through 1994. N Engl J Med 341 (1999) 556-562
48. Lanphear B.P. Transmission and control of bloodborne viral hepatitis in health care workers. Occup Med 12 (1997) 717-730
49. Henry K., Dexter D., Sannerud K., Jackson B., and Balfour Jr. H. Recovery of HIV at autopsy. N Engl J Med 321 (1989) 1833-1834
50. de Craemer D. Postmortem viability of human immunodeficiency virus-implications for the teaching of anatomy. N Engl J Med 331 (1994) 1315
51. Johnson M.D., Schaffner W., Atkinson J., and Pierce M.A. Autopsy risk and acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus infection: a case report and reappraisal. Arch Pathol Lab Med 121 (1997) 64-66
52. Bankowski M.J., Landay A.L., Staes B., Shuburg R., Kritzler M., Hajakian V., et al. Postmortem recovery of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 from plasma and mononuclear cells: implications for occupational exposure. Arch Pathol Lab Med 116 (1992) 1124-1127
53. Nyberg M., Suni J., and Haltia M. Isolation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at autopsy one to six days postmortem. Am J Clin Pathol 94 (1990) 422-425
54. Do A.N., Ciesielski C.A., Metler R.P., Hammett T.A., Li J., and Fleming P.L. Occupationally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection: national case surveillance data during 20 years of the HIV epidemic in the United States. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 24 (2003) 86-96
55. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Brief report: outbreak of marburg virus hemorrhagic feve-Angola, October 1, 2004-March 29, 2005. MMWR 54 (2005) 308-309
56. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A guidebook for surveillance medical examiners, coroners, and biologic terrorism and case management. MMWR 53 (2004) RR08
57. Ligon B.L. Outbreak of Marburg hemorrhagic fever in Angola: a review of the history of the disease and its biological aspects. Semin Pediatr Infect Dis 16 (2005) 219-224
58. Borio L., Inglesby T., Peters C.J., Schmaljohn A.L., Hughes J.M., Jahrling P.B., et al. Hemorrhagic fever viruses as biological weapons: medical and public health management. JAMA 287 (2002) 2391-2405
59. Peters C.J. Marburg and Ebola-arming ourselves against the deadly filoviruses. N Engl J Med 352 (2005) 2571-2573
60. Leffel E.K., and Reed D.S. Marburg and Ebola viruses as aerosol threats. Biosecur Bioterror 2 (2004) 186-191
61. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Management of patients with suspected viral hemorrhagic fever. MMWR 37 (1988) 1-16
62. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC. Questions and answers: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease infection control practices. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/cjd/infection_control_cjd.htm. 2005. Accessed October 1, 2005.
63. Chesebro B. Introduction to the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies or prion diseases. Br Med Bull 66 (2003) 1-20
64. Belay E.D., and Schonberger L.B. The public health impact of prion diseases. Annu Rev Public Health 26 (2005) 191-212
65. Brown P., Will R.G., Bradley R., Asher D.M., and Detwiler L. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: background, evolution, and current concerns. Emerg Infect Dis 7 (2001) 6-16
66. Llewelyn C.A., Hewitt P.E., Knight R.S., Amar K., Cousens S., Mackenzie J., et al. Possible transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease by blood transfusion. Lancet 363 (2004) 417-421
67. Peden A.H., Head M.W., Ritchie D.L., Bell J.E., and Ironside J.W. Preclinical vCJD after blood transfusion in a PRNP codon 129 heterozygous patient. Lancet 364 (2004) 527-529
68. Brown P. Pathogenesis and transfusion risk of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Dev Biol (Basel) 120 (2005) 27-33
69. World health Organization. WHO infection control guidelines for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies: report of a WHO consultation, Geneva, Switzerland, 23-26 March 1999. Available at: http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/bse/WHO_CDS_CSR_APH_2000_3/en/. Accessed October 1, 2005.
70. Occupational Information Network. Summary report for: 11-9061.00 Funeral Directors. 2004. Available at: http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/11-9061.00. Accessed October 1, 2005.
71. Occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens-OSHA. Final rule. Fed Regist 56 (1991) 64004-64182
72. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveillance system for hospital health care workers. 2005. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/chartbook/. Accessed October 1, 2005.
73. National Funeral Directors Association. Careers in funeral service. 2005. Available at: http://www.nfda.org/careers.php. Accessed April 6, 2005.
74. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor. Occupational outlook handbook, 2004-05 edition. Available at: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos011.htm. Accessed May 21, 2005.
75. Berhe M., Edmond M.B., and Bearman G.M. Practices and an assessment of health care workers' perceptions of compliance with infection control knowledge of nosocomial infections. Am J Infect Control 33 (2005) 55-57
76. US Department of Labor Standard Occupational Classification System. Available at: http://www.bls.gov/soc/home.htm. Accessed May 21, 2005.
77. US Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economics Statistics Division. 2004. Available at: gov/hhes/www/ioindex/overview.html. Accessed May 13, 2005.
78. Department of Health and Human Services. Mortality by occupation, industry, and cause of death: 24 reporting states (1984-1988). 1997. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/bk97114.html. Accessed March 25, 2005.
79. Habenstein R.W., and Lamers W.M. Funeral customs the world over. 4th ed. (1994), Bulfin Printers, Inc, Milwaukee, WI
80. WHO. Burden of disease estimates by region in 2002. World Health Report (2004)