Respiratory Illness in Workers of an Indoor Shiitake Mushroom Farm

Abstract

Abstract Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes), the second most important mushroom in world commerce, are usually grown on logs outdoors. Because of the relatively short harvesting period and weather dependency of shiitake strains that are cultivated outdoors, there is a trend toward indoor cultivation of strains that can permit year-round production. An evaluation of an indoor shiitake farm was conducted following reports that workers of the facility were experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness. During private interviews that included the administration of a questionnaire, 11 workers reported seven or more symptoms which they had experienced either during work or shortly after leaving work; six of these workers reported 15 or more symptoms. Predominant symptoms were dry cough, nasal discharge, sneezing, chest tightness, productive cough, and dyspnea. Based upon the results of the acute symptoms questionnaire and preliminary bioaerosol sampling, the management of the shiitake farm discontinued operati...