Webinar: Zoonotic Disease and Pregnancy: A Deeper Dive

Last updated on April 20th, 2023 at 01:46 pm

Summary: Zoonotic Diseases are transmitted between farm animals and humans and can pose additional risks to those who are pregnant. According to the World Health Organization, over half of all human pathogens are zoonotic and have represented nearly all emerging pathogens in the past decade. Farmers and farmworkers have a higher risk of contracting zoonotic diseases because of the frequency of their animal exposure.

Prevention is the best defense. Understanding how the disease transmission process works, building a team, and effectively communicating within that team is essential in preventing the spread of zoonotic disease. Women working in agriculture should be aware of the following special considerations during pregnancy: which animals are common carriers of zoonotic disease, symptoms of the disease(s), prevention measures, and pregnancy risks.

Intended Audience:  Supervisor or Managers: This training is intended primarily for health and safety professionals, including but not limited to owner/operators, safety officers or specialists, managers, supervisors, safety coordinators, health safety and environmental interns, and any person or persons who serve as safety personnel in an agricultural setting.

Producers: This training is intended primarily for agricultural producers, including but not limited to farmers, ranchers, and any person or persons involved in some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, horticulture, or other livestock.

Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to…

1. Define zoonotic disease and identify various modes of transmission.
2. Identify a minimum of four significant zoonotic diseases affecting the production agricultural population.
3. Discuss warning signs and symptoms of major zoonotic diseases which have adverse effects on reproductive health.
4. Locate at least three recommended educational resources for training an agricultural workforce.

This material was produced under grant number SH-05068-SH8 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Revisions were made to this material under grant number SH-36995-HA1 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.

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