Abstract
The quantitative and qualitative differences in microbe exposure arising from hay, grain and straw during the end of the indoor feeding period were investigated by using a six-stage fractionating impactor (model 10—800, Andersen Inc.). Straw samples (n = 5) liberated significantly higher amounts of spores (3.7 x 106 cfu/m3 air) in comparison to hay samples (n = 33) and grain samples (n = 2), which liberated 0.6 x 106 cfu/m3 and 0.2 x 106 cfu/m3 , respectively. Thermotolerant and thermophilic microflora were typical of the exposure originating from straw. Hay liberated about 10 % and grain only 0.7 %, the level of spores of thermotolerant fungi liberated from straw. The corresponding percentages of spores of thermophilic actinomycetes were 5 % and 0.4 %. Thermoactinomyces vulgaris was the dominating microbe in the exposure caused by straw; Aspergillus umbrosus was the major species in the microflora liberated from hay and grain. Other Aspergillus (A.) species (A. fumigatus, A. ochraceus, A. flavus, A. repens, A. versicolor) and Penicillium (P.) species (P. expansum, P. piceum, P. citrinum, P. brevicompactum, P. echinulatum, P. verrucosum var. cyclopium) occurred frequently, and in great amounts, in all the analysed materials. Spores of Cladosporium (C.) species (mainly C. herbarum, C. cladosporioides, and C. macrocarpum) were found frequently, and abundantly, during the handling of hay. The present results suggest that not only the traditional causative agents of farmer’s lung disease but also other fungal and actinomycete species may be found in high concentrations during the handling of bedding and feeding stuffs, and that these fungal and actinomycete exposures may cause respiratory symptoms and other health problems in both man and animals. Special attention should be paid to decreasing the moisture content of hay and straw before storing in order to lower the risk of moulding during the indoor feeding period.
Highlights
IntroductionDust exposure consists mostly of organic particles, which originate from feeding and bedding stuffs and from animals and their excrements
Dust problems are typical of agricultural working environments
Thermotolerant and thermophilic microflora were typical of the exposure originating from straw
Summary
Dust exposure consists mostly of organic particles, which originate from feeding and bedding stuffs and from animals and their excrements. E.g. animal dander, hair, feathers, manure, insects, mites, pollen, fungal spores or fragments of fungal hypha, bacteria and their endotoxins, mycotoxins and fodder particles. The amount and the quality of dust are affected by the branch of production, geographical location and the climatic conditions, and these factors are related to the prevalence and the incidence of farmer’s lung (Terho et al 1987, Vohlonen et al 1987). Farmer’s lung disease is one type of allergic alveolitis caused by fungal and actinomycete spores arising from mouldy plant material (Pepys 1969). Hay has been accused of causing the disease, other stored plant materials (feeding and bedding stuffs) used on farms are as susceptible to moulding as hay. The aim of the present study was to investigate quantitative and qualitative differences in microbe exposure arising from hay, grain and straw during the end of the indoor feeding period
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