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Airborne endotoxins and humidifier disease
Author(s) -
RYLANDER R.,
HAGLIND P.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1984.tb02197.x
Subject(s) - chills , humidifiers , medicine , disease , intensive care medicine , surgery , environmental science , environmental engineering
Summary The presence of humidifier disease in a printing factory was investigated with particular emphasis on airborne endotoxins. The water in the humidifier was contaminated with Pseudomonas. The amount of airborne endotoxin when the humidifier was operating was 0.13‐0.39 μg/m 3 . Twenty of the fifty workers investigated reported typical symptoms of fever, chills, and chest tightness when the humidifiers were operating. Symptoms were more frequent among non‐smokers. The estimated inhaled dose of endotoxin was found to be sufficient to cause the observed symptoms. The determination of airborne endotoxins in future episodes of humidifier disease is recommended.