RESUMO
This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of skin diseases especially viral warts among Egyptian slaughterhouse workers 535 subjects working at a manual and semiautomatic slaughterhouses and a meat manufactering factory [exposed and non-exposed to raw meat and meat products] as well as a control group of 322 persons working at a textile factory at Cairo area were dermatologically examined at the workplace. Results show that the prevalence of all skin diseases among exposed workers [52.17%] is significantly higher than either non-exposed [34.67%] or control [35.71%] groups. Infectious cutaneous papillomas [viral warts] represent the commonest skin disease among occupational exposed workers [27.61%]. This prevalence is significantly higher than both figures of non-exposed [13.33%] as well as control [4.66%] groups. Verruca vulgaris represent the commonest type of viral warts among examined workers. The use of protective gloves reduced significantly the prevalence of warts among examined workers meanwhile semi-automation of the processes, type of meat exposure, type of occupation have no significant effect on the prevalence of warts among examined slaughterhousemen