Respiratory health effects and atopic sensitization in non-farming residents associated with particulate matter and endotoxin emitted by livestock farms

Abstract

OPS 08: Biological contaminants and respiratory health, Room 117, Floor 1, August 26, 2019, 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Background: Living in livestock-dense areas has been associated with health effects, suggesting airborne exposures to livestock farm emissions to be relevant for public health. Livestock farm emissions involve complex mixtures of various gases and particles. Endotoxin, a pro-inflammatory agent of microbial origin, is a constituent of livestock farm emitted particulate matter (PM) that is potentially related to the observed health effects. Quantification of livestock associated endotoxin exposure at residential addresses has not been performed earlier. We aimed to assess exposure-response relations for a range of respiratory endpoints and atopic sensitization in relation to modelled livestock farm emitted PM10 and endotoxin. Methods: Self-reported respiratory symptoms and health information of 12,117 persons participating in a population based cross-sectional study was used. For 2,494 persons, also data on lung function (spirometry) and serologically assessed atopic sensitization was available. Annual-average PM10 and endotoxin concentrations at home addresses were predicted by dispersion modelling and land-use regression (LUR) modelling. Exposure-response relations were analysed with generalized additive models. Results: Health outcomes were generally more strongly associated with exposure to livestock farm emitted endotoxin compared to PM10. An inverse association was observed for dispersion modelled exposure with atopic sensitization (endotoxin: p=.004, PM10: p=.07) and asthma (endotoxin: p=.029, PM10: p=.022). Prevalence of respiratory symptoms decreased with increasing endotoxin concentration at the lower range, at the higher range prevalence increased with increasing concentration (p<.05). Associations between lung function parameters with exposure to PM10 and endotoxin were not statistically significant (p>.05). Conclusions: Exposure to livestock farm emitted particulate matter is associated with respiratory health effects and atopic sensitization in non-farming residents. Results indicate endotoxin to be a potentially plausible etiologic agent, suggesting non-infectious aspects of microbial emissions from livestock farms to be important with respect to public health.