Results found: 2

Search results

Sort By:

Limit search:

Occupational exposure to fungi and particles in animal feed industry

100%

Viegas C., Faria T., Carolino E., Sabino R., Gomes A. Q., Viegas S.

Medycyna Pracy

2016

vol. 67

issue 2

143-154

Wstęp Dotychczas opublikowano bardzo mało wyników badań dotyczących narażenia na grzyby i cząstki stałe (particulate matter – PM) w przemyśle paszowym, mimo że te zanieczyszczenia mogą być istotną przyczyną zaburzeń zdrowia u pracowników. Celem badania było określenie narażenia na grzyby i pył w jednym z portugalskich zakładów produkujących paszę dla zwierząt hodowlanych. Materiał i metody Próbki pobrane z powietrza i powierzchni w pomieszczeniach zakładu poddano obserwacji makro- i mikroskopowej. Z powietrza pobrano również dodatkowe próbki w celu amplifikacji genów kompleksów Aspergillus fumigatus i Aspergillus flavus, a także Stachybotrys chartarum, z zastosowaniem ilościowej reakcji łańcuchowej polimerazy (polymerase chain reaction – PCR) w czasie rzeczywistym. Określono też stężenie masowe cząstek (particle mass concentration – PMC) w 5 rozmiarach (PM0.5, PM1, PM2.5, PM5, PM10) i stężenie liczbowe cząstek (particle number concentration – PNC) w 6 średnicach (0,3 μm, 0,5 μm, 1 μm, 2,5 μm, 5 μm i 10 μm). Wyniki W powietrzu zakładu najczęściej występowały gatunki z kompleksu Aspergillus fumigatus (46,6%), a na powierzchniach w zakładzie – grzyby z rodzaju Penicillium (32%). Spośród 3 wybranych do PCR gatunków grzybów w próbkach wykryto jedynie DNA z kompleksu A. fumigatus. W próbkach pyłu najliczniejsze były cząstki o mniejszych rozmiarach, które mogą docierać do głębokich rejonów układu oddechowego i wywoływać nie tylko objawy miejscowe, ale również ogólnoustrojowe. Wnioski Konieczne są kolejne badania w celu oceny rzeczywistych skutków zdrowotnych łącznego narażenia na grzyby i pył. Med. Pr. 2016;67(2):143–154

Background Very few studies regarding fungal and particulate matter (PM) exposure in feed industry have been reported, although such contaminants are likely to be a significant contributing factor to several symptoms reported among workers. The purpose of this study has been to characterize fungal and dust exposure in one Portuguese feed industry. Material and Methods Air and surface samples were collected and subject to further macro- and microscopic observations. In addition we collected other air samples in order to perform real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of genes from Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus complexes as well as Stachybotrys chartarum. Additionally, two exposure metrics were considered – particle mass concentration (PMC), measured in 5 different sizes (PM0.5, PM1, PM2.5, PM5, PM10), and particle number concentration (PNC) based on results given in 6 different sizes in terms of diameter (0.3 μm, 0.5 μm, 1 μm, 2.5 μm, 5 μm and 10 μm). Results Species from the Aspergillus fumigatus complex were the most abundant in air (46.6%) and in surfaces, Penicillium genus was the most frequently found (32%). The only DNA was detected from A. fumigatus complex. The most prevalent in dust samples were smaller particles which may reach deep into the respiratory system and trigger not only local effects but also the systemic ones. Conclusions Future research work must be developed aiming at assessing the real health effects of these co-exposures. Med Pr 2016;67(2):143–154

Analysis of surfaces for characterization of fungal burden – Does it matter?

100%

Viegas C., Faria T., Meneses M., Carolino E., Viegas S., Gomes A. Q., Sabino R.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

2016

vol. 29

issue 4

623-632

Objectives Mycological contamination of occupational environments can be a result of fungal spores’ dispersion in the air and on surfaces. Therefore, it is very important to assess it in both types of the samples. In the present study we assessed fungal contamination in the air and in the surface samples to show relevance of surfaces sampling in complementing the results obtained in the air samples. Material and Methods In total, 42 settings were assessed by the analysis of air and surfaces samples. The settings were divided into settings with a high fungal load (7 poultry farms and 7 pig farms, 3 cork industries, 3 waste management plants, 2 wastewater treatment plants and 1 horse stable) and a low fungal load (10 hospital canteens, 8 college canteens and 1 maternity hospital). In addition to culture-based methods, molecular tools were also applied to detect fungal burden in the settings with a higher fungal load. Results From the 218 sampling sites, 140 (64.2%) presented different species in the examined surfaces when compared with the species identified in the air. A positive association in the high fungal load settings was found between the presence of different species in the air and surfaces. Wastewater treatment plants constituted the setting with the highest number of different species between the air and surface. Conclusions We observed that surfaces sampling and application of molecular tools showed the same efficacy of species detection in high fungal load settings, corroborating the fact that surface sampling is crucial for a correct and complete analysis of occupational scenarios.

Refine search results

1 International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

1 Medycyna Pracy

2 Carolino E.

2 Faria T.

2 Gomes A. Q.

2 Sabino R.

2 Viegas C.

2 Viegas S.

1 Meneses M.

2 2016

Search results

Occupational exposure to fungi and particles in animal feed industry

Analysis of surfaces for characterization of fungal burden – Does it matter?