Author(s): Duba, T., Naicker, N., Singh, T.

Source: Occup Health Southern Afr. 2024; 30(3) https://doi.org/10.62380/ohsa.2024.30.3.1

Abstract:

Introduction: In addition to grooming, horse grooms’ tasks include live breeding, foaling, night watch duty, raising and training horses, mucking stalls, landscaping, and horse maintenance.
Horse stables are reported to have high organic dust levels, which pose a risk to horse grooms. Studies have reported an association between working with horses and an increased risk of respiratory symptoms and/or organic dust toxic syndrome. Some studies demonstrated that horses were exposed to high levels of endotoxin as well as (1,3)-β-D-glucan in horse stables.

Objective: To describe occupational biological exposures and associated respiratory diseases among horse grooms, shedding light on their working and living conditions.

Methods: A scoping review was undertaken using the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. Data were extracted using key questions and eligibility criteria as a starting point. The keywords and phrases, occupational health, infectious diseases, workplace exposure, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Mycobacterium tuberculosis, (1,3)-β-D-glucan, endotoxin, and horse grooms were used to search PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect.

Results: Forty-six papers were selected for final review from the 94 identified for potential inclusion. These papers highlighted possible biological exposure in horse grooms’ day-to-
day tasks. Hostel living conditions, similar to those in the mining industry, were identified as a source of biological exposures. Due to overcrowding, the spread of tuberculosis was highlighted as a major concern.

Conclusion: More research on horse grooms is necessary, considering the paucity of occupational health information in this sector, especially in South Africa. Future studies should focus on environmental conditions, hostel living conditions, health outcomes among horse grooms, and prevention strategies.

Keywords: occupational health, infectious diseases, workplace exposure, COVID-19, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, (1,3)-β-D-glucan, endotoxin