Agricultural workers sought for national influenza study

August 20, 2010

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Agricultural workers age 18 years or older who work with swine, turkeys, geese or ducks may be eligible for enrollment in a University of Florida study of influenza and agricultural workers. The study will monitor agricultural workers and their household members for flu, paying particular attention to flu infections that can be transmitted by both animals and humans.

The Global Pathogens Laboratory, based in the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute, will conduct the study, called the Prospective Study of U.S. Animal Agricultural Workers for Emerging Virus Infections.

Participation requires one visit to a local health-care provider and self-collected nasal samples if participants become sick over the one-year course of the study. Compensation is available.

For more information, visit http://gpl.phhp.ufl.edu/AgWorker or contact Whitney Baker at 352-273-9569 or wsbaker@phhp.ufl.edu.