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Infections are a common occupational hazard, especially in health care (and laboratory) workers, but also for the staff of daycare centers, food handlers, forestry and agricultural workers and persons occupied in waste management and sewage work. EC directives and national German regulations have been implemented to facilitate risk assessment, risk management and prevention of infections. In this contribution, the classification of microbiological agents and their seroprevalence (or one of their antibodies) in different areas of the work environment and the different methods of prevention (technical, organisational, personal, immunological) are discussed.

Hematogenous osteomyelitis (HOM) in adults is a very rare event in industrialised countries. However, in tropical regions the morbidity of HOM is more important, primarily due to the impact of sickle cell disease, thalassemia, HIV-infection and tuberculosis. HOM is most commonly caused by pyogenic bacteria and mycobacteria, but infections by fungi, viruses and parasites must also be considered. In spite of modern diagnostic procedures such as nuclear and magnetic resonance imaging, the histopathologic and microbiologic examination of bone remains the gold standard for diagnosing OM. Other diagnoses should also be considered. Nonbacterial osteomyelitic lesions (plasmacellular OM, sclerosing OM, SAPHO syndrome) as well as acute leukemia, malignant bone tumors (i.e., Ewing's sarcoma, osteosarcoma) are conditions with similar presentations. Acute HOM is best managed by appropriate antibiotic therapy. In case of failure and in chronic HOM, surgical debridement is mandatory.

In a village of the Swiss Jura we examined 134 schoolchildren (7 to 16 years old) clinically, parasitologically and serologically for parasites. Half of the children showed an insufficient hygiene of hands, feet and/or anus. In 7 out of 107 anus-scotch-tests there were eggs of Enterobius vermicularis. Protozoans could be demonstrated in 8 of 133 MIF-stool-samples (2 cases of Giardia lamblia, 2 Endolimax nana and 4 Jodamoeba bütschlii). Using the procedure of enrichment of Telemann no helminth eggs were detected. Altogether parasites were found in 10% of the children. 31 children have antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii (IF titre greater than or equal to 1:40). 5 children showed a positive Toxocara-serology, additional 5 an uncertain positive reaction. The immunodiagnostic of Echinococcosis (ELISA, IF, IHA, CIE) was doubtfully positive in 4 children. In this study, intestinal protozoans and E. vermicularis were the most commonly occurring parasites followed by asymptomatic toxocariasis.