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Associations between acute symptoms and bioaerosol exposure during the collection of household waste
Author(s) -
Heldal Kari Kulvik,
Eduard Wijnand
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20058
Subject(s) - medicine , bioaerosol , household waste , occupational exposure , environmental health , toxicology , waste management , aerosol , physics , meteorology , biology , engineering
Background A study was performed to investigate associations between work‐related symptoms and bioaerosol exposure in 22 workers collecting waste separated at source and mixed household waste. Methods Full work shift exposures to bacteria (spherical and rod‐shaped) fungal spores, endotoxins, and total dust were measured. Symptoms experienced during work on the day that exposure was measured were recorded by use of a short questionnaire. Questions were posed on respiratory symptoms, systemic effects such as headache, tiredness, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Results The median exposure levels of bacteria and fungal spores were 0.4 and 0.1 × 10 6 /m 3 , respectively. The exposure to rod‐shaped bacteria (7% of the bacteria count), endotoxins (1.8 EU/m 3 ), and dust (0.2 mg/m 3 ) was low. The symptoms most often reported were unusual tiredness (24%), headache (22%), cough (15%), and irritation in eyes and nose (10 and 17%). These symptoms were also found to be associated to microbial components. Conclusions The results suggest that acute work‐related nose irritation is associated with exposure to bacteria. Rod‐shaped bacteria were also associated with nose irritation and unusual tiredness. It is likely that cough is associated to fungal spores, while other associations which were found could be due to confounding. Am. J. Ind. Med. 46:253–260, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.