Graduate Student University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Middleton, Wisconsin, United States
Abstract: Background – Small animal veterinarians have a high risk of occupational exposure to B. henselae. This study will examine the association between B. henselae exposure and physical and mental health in this population.
Hypothesis/Objectives – Small animal veterinarians exposed to B. henselae will report higher prevalence and severity of neuromuscular symptoms, depression, and anxiety than those without exposure, and will report greater severity of fatigue and cognitive failure.
Animals – 385 practicing small animal veterinarians were recruited when seeking rabies titer testing at a large United States veterinary conference. Potential participants were blinded to the exposure of interest to not bias recruitment.
Methods – Case-control study. Outcomes were self-reported via an electronic questionnaire, including measures of depression and anxiety (evaluated with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the General Anxiety Disorder-7, respectively), fatigue and cognitive failure (evaluated with the Checklist of Individual Strength and Cognitive Failures Breakdown), and clinical diagnoses. Exposure to B. henselae was detected using IFA serology and qPCR on whole blood.
Results – Blood, serum, and questionnaires were collected in January 2023 from 350 participants. Participants were 87.5% female and 12.5% male, with a mean age of 42 (27-69 years). The association between B. henselae exposure and the prevalence and severity of symptoms will be presented.
Conclusions and clinical importance – While B. henselae exposure is common in small animal veterinarians, there is little known about its impact on the health of this population. A greater understanding of B. henselae infections can increase detection and treatment of symptoms.
