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Document ID (ISN)76600
CIS number 01-881
ISSN - Serial title 0271-3586 - American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Year 2001
Convention or series no.
Author(s) Melbostad E., Eduard W.
Title Organic dust-related respiratory and eye irritation in Norwegian farmers
Bibliographic information Feb. 2001, Vol.39, No.2, p.209-217. Illus. 24 ref.
Abstract To study the relationship between exposure to organic dust and work-related symptoms, 8,482 farmers and spouses were surveyed. Task-related respiratory and eye symptoms were recorded by questionnaire. Personal exposure to total dust, fungal spores, bacteria, endotoxins and ammonia during 12 different tasks was measured in a random sample of 127 farms. The prevalence of work-related symptoms occurring "often" was 31% and "seldom" 35%. Task mean exposures ranged from 0.04 to 2mg dust/m3, 0.02 x 106 to 2 x 106 fungal spores/m3, 0.2 x 106 to 48 x 106 bacteria/m3, 0.5 x 103 to 28 x 103 endotoxin units/m3, and 0 to 8 ppm ammonia. Task mean exposure levels were positively correlated with task-specific symptom prevalences for total dust, fungal spores and endotoxins, but not for bacteria and ammonia.
Descriptors (primary) eye irritation; respiratory diseases; job-exposure relation; agriculture; organic dust
Descriptors (secondary) spores; subjective assessment; Norway; frequency rates; bacteria; bacterial toxins; questionnaire survey; ammonia
Document type D - Periodical articles
Country / State or ProvinceNorway
Subject(s) Occupational pathology
Broad subject area(s) Biological hazards
Browse category(ies) Agriculture
Diseases of the respiratory system (except for pneumoconiosis & similar)