Tough work removing pig brains

by EnvironmentalHealthToday | April 17, 2008 at 06:53 pm

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Working in a pork processing plant can be demanding and serious business. The progressive inflammatory neuropathy, as it has been named, has afflicted several employees at the Austin, MN (USA) pork processing plant. Fortunately an identification of this disease has been accomplished.

The employees were working in areas of the plant where pig brains were being removed from the pig skulls with the use of powerful air compression systems. The use of these system resulted in fine particles of blood and brain tissues being emitted into the surrounding air.

This case exemplifies the need for vigilance in protecting workers from occupational hazards. Exposures, such as these workers encountered, may not have been predicted. Nevertheless, fine particulates can easily be inhaled. In this care it was small particles of pig brain tissue which ultimately caused pain, weakness and numbness among the affected workers.

An earlier report (8 February 2008) on the ongoing investigation was offered by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Why, you might be asking, are we extracting pig brains from pig skulls? Check information at "Pork brains for breakfast!"

After months of research, doctors at the Mayo Clinic [Rochester, MN, USA] say they can show that the mysterious neurological condition discovered among pork-plant workers in Austin, Minn., is a unique and identifiable disease.

Mayo researchers presented their findings at the American Academy of Neurology conference in Chicago on Wednesday. It is the first time a detailed medical picture of the disease, called progressive inflammatory neuropathy (PIN), was provided at a national medical forum.