• Project number: F 2591
• Institution: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)
• Status: Completed Project

Description:

Occupational infections can affect employees in various industries. Under certain conditions, infectious diseases acquired in the workplace can be recognised as occupational diseases if employees were exposed to a significantly higher risk of infection due to their work than the general population.

In the framework of this project, data on recognised occupational infectious diseases from the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV, 2018-2022) and the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG, 2019-2023) were analysed by pathogens, occupations and reduction in earning capacity. It was found that most recognised infectious diseases occurred in health care, welfare or laboratories. Among these, parasitic diseases (especially scabies) and tuberculosis (including latent tuberculosis infections) were dominating. Among zoonoses, borreliosis was most frequently recognised as an occupational disease. Among tropical diseases, malaria was dominating.

There are no effective vaccinations against the majority of recognised infectious occupational diseases. Knowledge of common pathogens causing occupational infections helps to better estimate risks of infection and implement targeted protective measures in high-risk work areas. The findings of this study on the frequency and distribution of individual infectious diseases can be taken into account in future adaptations of the technical rules.