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Exposure to Varying Concentration of Fungal Spores in Grain Storage Godowns and Its Effect on the Respiratory Function Status Among the Workers
Industrial Health (2007)
  • Bhaskar P. Chattopadhyay, Regional Occupational Health Centre
  • Satadal Das, Peerless Hospital and B.K.Roy Research Centre
  • Atin Adhikari, Georgia Southern University
  • Jane Alam, Regional Occupational Health Centre
Abstract
Grain storage depot workers suffer from different respiratory problems after getting the exposure to storage grain dust. Which is a mixture of pesticides, fungi, silica, bacteria, spores, storage mites, animal hairs, pollens etc. The present study was under taken to evaluate the fungal spore concentration in summer and winter season as well as the pulmonary function status of the workers; studies are limited in our country. In summer and winter seasons, air sampling was done to measure the airborne fungal spore concentration inside the godowns by Rotorod sampler, UK. Aspergilla, Alternaria, Drechslera, Epicoccum, Nigrospora, Periconia were very much common and found higher in winter compared to summer. The respiratory functional status was assessed in two groups of workers of the same storage grain depot (total n=316) in summer (n=136) and in winter (n=180). List of the workers was collected from the authority and randomly selected every alternate worker and divide them for the studies in summer and winter seasons. Slow Vital Capacity (SVC), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) were recorded and Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), FEV1% and different flow rates were calculated. The Immunoglobulin- E (IgE) level in the blood serum was assessed on post shift pulmonary function tests (PFT) decreased workers. The age, height and weight of the same categories of workers of both studies are highly comparable. Mean PFT values in summer found higher than winter. A gradual decrement of values were found as age was increased but not with duration of exposure. Post-shift PFT was carried in 21.8% (69) workers of which 46.4% (32) workers showed the decrement of values. The serum IgE level of the post-shift PFT decreased subjects was found more than 250 IU/ml in 53.1% (17) workers. Restrictive, obstructive and combined types of respiratory impairments were noticed among the workers. Presence of different spores in varying concentration in the working atmosphere may be responsible for the post shift decrement of PFT, allergic symptoms, high IgE level and respiratory impairments among the workers.
Keywords
  • Fungal Spores,
  • Grain Dust,
  • Pre-shift and Post-shift,
  • Pulmonary Function Test,
  • Immunoglobulin-E (IgE)
Publication Date
July, 2007
DOI
10.2486/indhealth.45.449
Citation Information
Bhaskar P. Chattopadhyay, Satadal Das, Atin Adhikari and Jane Alam. "Exposure to Varying Concentration of Fungal Spores in Grain Storage Godowns and Its Effect on the Respiratory Function Status Among the Workers" Industrial Health Vol. 45 Iss. 3 (2007) p. 449 - 461 ISSN: 1880-8026
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/atin_adhikari/109/