Summary

The objective of this research is to develop a pilot longitudinal study of confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) workers to assess the frequency, persistence, and strain diversity of exposure to specific zoonotic pathogens of broad public health importance and to relate these pathogen exposure measures to reports of shift length, time off work, work activities, other risk factors, and acute physical symptoms of infection versus asymptomatic states. A central feature of this research is the integration of community-based participatory research (CBPR) with a longitudinal panel study of acute exposures and symptoms among CAFO workers in a region with intensive industrial livestock production – North Carolina.