Prevalence of Dermatitis and Superficial Fungal Infection of the Hands in Seafood Workers: An Investigation from Food Markets in Ningbo, China

OBJECTIVE: Seafood workers have high risks of hand skin diseases. The purpose of this survey is to study the prevalence of occupational hand skin diseases in this population. METHODS: From March 2018 to October 2018, seafood workers in two food markets in Ningbo, China were investigated. Fungal microscopy and cultures from lesions on the hands and nails were performed. A community-based investigation of hand skin diseases was performed as a control group. RESULTS: One handred and eleven of 135 (82.2%) seafood workers in two food markets in Ningbo were taken into the investigation. The prevalence of hand dermatitis was 50.5% (56/111) in seafood workers, which is significantly higher than that of the control group (7.43%, p<0.001). It was found that the incidence of superficial fungal infection of the hands in seafood workers was much higher than that in community residents (26.1% vs 2.7%, p<0.001). Without wearing waterproof gloves, longer working time per day, longer history of seafood work increased the risk of hand dermatitis, instead of candidial infection of the hands and nails. CONCLUSION: Hand skin diseases are highly prevalent in seafood workers in Ningbo, a city in eastern China. This public health problem should be addressed in this population.