Respiratory health status in swine producers relates to endotoxin exposure in the presence of low dust levels.
Authors
Zejda-JE; Barber-E; Dosman-JA; Olenchock-SA; McDuffie-HH; Rhodes-C; Hurst-T
Source
J Occup Med 1994 Jan; 36(1):49-56
Abstract
The relationship between the presence of respiratory symptoms and the level of airborne endotoxins among workers in swine confinement buildings was studied. Participants were identified from the Saskatchewan Pork Producers Marketing Board registry. Subjects who spent at least 2 hours per day working in enclosed animal confinement buildings answered a questionnaire about respiratory symptoms and lung function was assessed clinically. In addition levels of airborne dust, gases, and endotoxin were measured in the indoor facilities. Mean levels of ammonia (7664417) and dust were dependent upon the season in which the measurements were made. No significant relationships were seen between the occurrence of work related symptoms and the degree of exposure. Analysis of chronic respiratory symptoms demonstrated associations between exposure to higher concentrations of ammonia and higher prevalences of chronic cough and chronic bronchitis and between exposure to higher concentrations of endotoxin and chronic cough. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between chronic cough and chronic bronchitis and the airborne concentration of endotoxin after controlling for cigarette smoking. A significant correlation was seen as well between forced vital capacity and the level of airborne endotoxin. The authors conclude that the respiratory health status of animal confinement workers may depend more on endotoxin levels than on airborne dust concentrations.
Keywords
JOCMA7; NIOSH-Author; Occupational-exposure; Endotoxins; Respirable-dust; Respiratory-system-disorders; Livestock; Airborne-dusts; Animal-husbandry
Document Type
Journal Article
Priority Area
Respiratory-system-disorders
Source Name
Journal of Occupational Medicine
