Healthy worker, healthy citizen: the place of occupational health within public health research in Switzerland

OBJECTIVES

To assess the state of Swiss occupational health (OH) research over the period 2008-2017.

METHODS

Two types of indicators were constructed, focused, respectively, on resources available for OH research and its output. Data for their assessment were gathered from specialized research institutions, professional associations, and the Swiss Federal Statistical Office.

RESULTS

Thirty-two of 317 Ph.D./M.D.-Ph.D. theses delivered were in the field of OH. The number of OH physicians progressed substantially, but the density of OH professionals per number of active workers showed important variations between OH disciplines and geographical regions. The number of yearly peer-reviewed publications increased substantially but represented 6% of publications in public health in 2017. Psychological and respiratory health conditions were the most studied topics, while papers on cancers accounted for only 10%.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests a limited place of OH research in the Swiss public health landscape and the need for a national research effort in OH. This requires an improved collaboration between regional and federal authorities and communication/coordination between public health authorities and OH executive institutions belonging to the economic sector.

Accumulation of human waterborne parasites by zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and Asian freshwater clams (Corbicula fluminea)

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and Asian freshwater clams (Corbicula fluminea) are nonindigenous invasive bivalves present in North American fresh waters that are frequently contaminated with human enteric parasites, Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia. Six-week laboratory exposure of D. polymorpha and Corbicula fluminea to both parasites seeded daily at concentrations reported from surface waters demonstrated efficient removal of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and G. lamblia cysts by both bivalve species. The number of parasites in mollusk tissue progressively increased in relation to the concentration of waterborne contamination, and decreased after cessation of the contamination. Oocysts outnumbered cysts in the tissue of both bivalves, and more parasites were identified in D. polymorpha than in Corbicula fluminea; overall 35.0% and 16.3% of the parasites seeded, respectively. Because C. fluminea and D. polymorpha can accumulate human waterborne parasites in proportion to ambient concentrations, these species of bivalves can be effective bioindicators of contamination of freshwater habitats with Cryptosporidium and Giardia.