Risk of pneumonia among residents living near goat and poultry farms during 2014-2016

Abstract

In the Netherlands, an association was found between the prevalence of pneumonia and living near goat and poultry farms in 2007–2013. This association then led to regulatory decisions to restrict the building of new goat farms and to reduce emissions of poultry farms. Confirmation of these results, however, is required because the period of previous analyses overlapped a Q-fever epidemic in 2007–2010. To confirm the association, we performed a population-based study during 2014–2016 based on general practitioner (GP) data. Electronic medical records of 90,183 persons were used to analyze the association between pneumonia and the population living in the proximity (within 500–2000 m distance) of goat and poultry farms. Data were analyzed with three types of logistic regression (with and without GP practice as a random intercept and with stratified analyses per GP practice) and a kernel model to discern the influence of different statistical methods on the outcomes. In all regression analyses involving adults, a statistically significant association between pneumonia and residence within 500 meters of goat farms was found (odds ratio [OR] range over all analyses types: 1.33–1.60), with a decreasing OR for increasing distances. In kernel analyses (including all ages), a population-attributable risk between 6.0 and 7.8% was found for a distance of 2000 meters in 2014–2016. The associations were consistent across all years and robust for mutual adjustment for proximity to other animals and for several other sensitivity analyses. However, associations with proximity to poultry farms are not supported by the present study. As the causes of the elevated pneumonia incidence in persons living close to goat farms remain unknown, further research into potential mechanisms is required for adequate prevention.

Prevalence of non-specific health symptoms in livestock dense areas: Looking beyond respiratory conditions

“…A strong body of evidence has shown that proximity to livestock farms can be associated with adverse health effects in humans, and with respiratory outcomes in particular (Baliatsas et al, 2017;Borlée et al, 2017;Kalkowska et al, 2018;Maassen et al, 2016;Post et al, 2019;Van den Berg, 2007;Van der Star et al, 2018;Van Dijk et al, 2016). The current study has some inconclusive results.…”

“…Livestock farms are a source of various emissions, such as particulate matter, endotoxins, and ammonia. Acute infections and chronic illnesses have recently been linked to residents of livestock dense areas (Borlée et al, 2017;Kalkowska et al, 2018;Maassen et al, 2016;Post et al, 2019;Van der Star et al, 2018). Furthermore, a variety of zoonotic pathogens are associated with both livestock farms and human health conditions (Morakinyo et al, 2016;Smit et al, 2012;Uiterwijk et al, 2017;Zomer et al, 2017).…”

“…Furthermore, a variety of zoonotic pathogens are associated with both livestock farms and human health conditions (Morakinyo et al, 2016;Smit et al, 2012;Uiterwijk et al, 2017;Zomer et al, 2017). The vast majority of studies on livestock exposure and human health mainly focused on respiratory health problems (Baliatsas et al, 2017;Post et al, 2019;Van Dijk et al, 2016, while conditions and symptoms in other organ systems have been understudied.…”

Reintegration of Crop-Livestock Systems in Europe: An Overview

“…High concentrations of specialized farms in one region often exacerbate environmental issues associated with agriculture, e.g., N deposition in nearby natural areas and increased risk of transmittable animal diseases. High concentrations of aerosols and ammonia in regions with a high density of chicken, goat and pig farms are known to affect human health and increase respiratory problems, e.g., pneumonia symptoms of residents living near goat [44] and chicken [45] farms. The probability of zoonotic infection of humans also increases [46] and has caused severe problems with, for example, Q fever in the Netherlands [45] .…”

Use of Antibiotics among Residents Living Close to Poultry or Goat Farms: A Nationwide Analysis in The Netherlands

“…However, not all prior studies in the Netherlands pertaining to poultry farms and CAP found consistent, significant results [ 14 , 21 ]. For goat farms, the association with CAP has been more consistent over a long period, from 2009 to 2016 [ 17 , 22 , 23 ]. However, goat farms emit much lower PM levels than poultry farms, and possible underlying biological mechanisms remain unknown.…”