Bacterial contamination of cotton and cotton dust and effects on the lung.

Bacterial contamination of various parts of the cotton plant and of cotton from different mills was investigated. The predominant bacterial species were Gram-negative rods mainly of the Enterobacter genus. When guinea pigs inhaled strains of these bacteria cultivated from cotton, a strong leucocyte mobilising capacity was found for Pseudomonas and Enterobacter but not for Agrobacterium or Bacillus species. The aetiology of the development of pulmonary symptoms after inhalation of bacteria-containing dusts and subsequent production of endotoxins is discussed.     

Sperm as an indicator of reproductive risk among petroleum refinery workers.

A questionnaire study of men in a wastewater treatment plant of a petroleum refinery showed twice the rate of fetal loss in the period during employment in the plant compared with the periods before and after. Questions regarding the interpretation of that study and continuing concern about reproductive risk prompted us to perform a cross sectional evaluation of sperm concentration and morphology. After adjustment for an abstinence period, the mean sperm concentration of the 74 unexposed men did not differ significantly from that of the 34 exposed men (79.9 million/cm3 v 68.2 million/cm3, p(1) = 0.16). The two groups also had a similar proportion of sperm with abnormal morphology (49.1% v 44.5%, p(1) = 0.94). This lack of association remained when degree of exposure, age, use of alcohol and marijuana, past illness or fever, use of baths or sauna, and history of urological problems were considered. These results are most consistent with the absence of sperm mediated reproductive problems.     

Sperm as an indicator of reproductive risk among petroleum refinery workers

A questionnaire study of men in a wastewater treatment plant of a petroleum refinery showed twice the rate of fetal loss in the period during employment in the plant compared with the periods before and after. Questions regarding the interpretation of that study and continuing concern about reproductive risk prompted us to perform a cross sectional evaluation of sperm concentration and morphology. After adjustment for an abstinence period, the mean sperm concentration of the 74 unexposed men did not differ significantly from that of the 34 exposed men (79.9 million/cm3 v 68.2 million/cm3, p(1) = 0.16). The two groups also had a similar proportion of sperm with abnormal morphology (49.1% v 44.5%, p(1) = 0.94). This lack of association remained when degree of exposure, age, use of alcohol and marijuana, past illness or fever, use of baths or sauna, and history of urological problems were considered. These results are most consistent with the absence of sperm mediated reproductive problems.     

Mortality and disability among cotton mill workers.

The mortality and disability of cotton mill workers were studied in five Finnish cotton mills. The population under study comprised all 1065 women exposed to raw cotton dust who had been hired between 1950 and 1971. The minimum exposure period was five years. For the study on disability, the cohort was followed up until the end of 1981. The follow up period for the mortality analysis was from 1950 to 1985. At the end of 1981 the observed number of prevalent disability pensions for respiratory disease was 15, whereas 3.9 were expected (p less than 0.01) on the basis of the national figures for women. There were 46 musculoskeletal diseases (27.7 expected, p less than 0.01), of which 24 were osteoarthritis (14.5 expected) and 13 rheumatoid arthritis (6.6 expected). The incidence rates of disability pensions were calculated for the period 1969-81. Comparison of incidence rates between cotton mill workers and the Finnish female population showed excessive rates for both respiratory diseases (p less than 0.001) and musculoskeletal diseases (p less than 0.01), with an excess of new cases of rheumatoid arthritis (p less than 0.05). By the end of 1985 the number of person-years was 31,678 and the number of deaths 95. The standardised mortality ratios for the total period of follow up (1950-85) showed no excess for respiratory diseases. Mortality from cardiovascular diseases was also lower than expected. The observed number of tumours was 33, the corresponding expected number 32.0. Thirteen tumours were in the digestive organs (6.6 expected, p<0.05) and three were lung cancers (1.9 expected). Five workers had died from renal disease; the expected number was 1.5 (p<0.05).     

金属研磨工人呼吸系统损害的调查研究

目的 阐述金属研磨工人的呼吸系统疾病发生率和肺通气功能状况。方法 采用美国胸科协会制订的标准化的呼吸系统症状询问表和用力肺活量测试方法,对290名金属研磨工和716名对照工人进行了调查。结果 在吸烟男性、非吸烟男性和非吸烟女性,磨工组FVC,FEV1．0、FEV1．0％、MMF的实测值占预计值百分比随着接尘工龄的增加而呈递减趋势。咳嗽、咯痰、气短、喘息症状和慢性支气管炎患病率按吸烟习惯分别统计,磨工组均高于对照组,吸烟者这些改变的发生率均高于非吸烟者,且以吸烟磨工的发生率为著。结论 所调查的金属研磨工人的呼吸功能已受到一定影响,这些影响可能与接触金属研磨粉尘有着直接的联系。     

Chronic and acute respiratory effects among grain mill workers

Exposure to flour dust may induce chronic respiratory manifestations as well as acute ventilatory effects. We compared the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, ventilatory impairment, and variations in pulmonary function over the workshift in a group of mill workers exposed to wheat flour and in referent workers. One hundred and forty-two men exposed to flour in a mill and 37 referent workers were included in this study. Each subject completed a standardized questionnaire. Pulmonary function tests were performed before and after the workshift. The assessment of environmental exposure to flour showed high concentrations during some jobs with a high percentage of inhalable particles and a low concentration of respirable particles. The exposed workers had a significantly higher prevalence of usual cough and usual phlegm than the referents. The prevalence of asthma, based on the questionnaire, was similar. Before the workshift, the exposed workers had significantly lower mean lung function values for peak flow rate and forced expiratory flow rate at 75% of the vital capacity than the referents. After the workshift, all the lung function values showed a slight decrease, significant for forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume during 1 s in both groups. Among the exposed workers, the asthmatic subjects had a significantly higher decrease across the shift than the nonasthmatic workers. This result is probably linked to bronchial hyperreactivity. Among nonasthmatic subjects, the decrease was larger in nonexposed workers than in exposed workers. A higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lower pulmonary function values were observed among mill workers by comparison with referents. Moreover, the data suggest that asthmatic status and the time of spirometric measurements need to be taken into account in epidemiological studies on exposure to airborne allergens. In addition, the study does not exclude a healthy worker effect with selection of dust-resistant subjects or better identification of asthmatic subjects among the workers exposed to an allergenic substance than among the nonexposed workers.     

Women's respiratory health in the cotton textile industry: an analysis of respiratory symptoms in 973 non-smoking female workers.

As part of a 1992 survey of both environmental and occupational determinants of health, 973 non-smoking women aged 20-40 years who were employed in three comparable modern Chinese cotton textile mills were given a questionnaire that included questions on standard respiratory history and symptoms. All women had some potential exposure to cotton dust; mean employment was 8.7 years. Comparisons were made between those with lowest or no current exposure (job classification in administration, quality control, and testing, n = 112) and those in the more heavily exposed classifications (yarn production areas, n = 861). Association of symptoms with job was tested by logistic regression, adjusting for age, passive smoking at home, and the use of home coal burning stoves. Odds ratios for prevalence of current frequent symptoms in those working in production jobs, after adjustment for home exposure to passive tobacco smoke and coal heating, were frequent cough 2.23 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.05-4.75), frequent phlegm 3.24 (1.54-6.84), shortness of breath 4.54 (1.40-14.72), and wheeze 2.96 (1.16-7.55). Nine cases with grade I byssinosis (chest tightness or shortness of breath on return to work after two days off) were found; all were in production jobs. In these non-smoking women textile workers, chronic respiratory symptoms were associated with job category after correction for domestic indoor air quality. These data support evidence for an increased prevalence of respiratory disease in populations exposed to cotton dust.     

Respiratory problems among cotton textile mill workers in Ethiopia.

This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of respiratory problems, in particular byssinosis, and to explore factors associated with their occurrence among a group of 595 randomly selected workers representing 40.5% of those exposed to dusty operations in a typical Ethiopian cotton textile mill. A standard questionnaire on respiration was administered and pre and postshift forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were determined for each worker; workers found to have byssinosis and other respiratory diseases were compared with workers having no respiratory diseases in terms of the level and duration of exposure to cotton dust and other variables. Multiple area air samples from different sections were analysed for elutriated cotton dust concentrations (0.86-3.52 mg/m3). The prevalence of byssinosis was 43.2% among blowers and 37.5% in carders in comparison with four to 24% among workers in other sections. Prevalence of chronic bronchitis ranged from 17.6 to 47.7% and bronchial asthma from 8.5 to 20.5% across all sections. Significant across shift decrements in FEV1 and FVC were seen in those workers with respiratory tract diseases compared with those workers without such diseases. A significant dose response relation for pulmonary function and respiratory illnesses was also found by regression analysis. Preventive measures are proposed. Further research including a nationwide survey of textile mills is suggested. This is the first epidemiological study of the textile industry in Ethiopia.     

接触棉尘工人呼吸系统早期反应──症状与肺功能改变

１６３名棉纺厂新工人（既往无棉麻粉尘接触史）入厂１０周后随访发现：４０人（２４．５％）出现呼吸道刺激症状，未观察到典型＂星期一症状＂。各车间症状阳性率呈现随可吸入棉尘浓度或内毒素水平升高而上升的趋势，γ＝０．９４，Ｐ＜０．０１。肺功能改变：入厂后ＦＶＣ比入厂前平均上升１２５．３ｍｌ，Ｐ＜０．０１；ＦＥＶ１平均上升８７．５９ｍｌ，Ｐ＜０．０１。ＦＥＶ１在入厂后占入厂前的比例平均为１０３．８％，其中仅１例低于８０％。班后ＦＶＣ比班前平均下降４６，０８ｍｌ，Ｐ＜０．０１；ＦＥＶ１平均下降１６．４６ｍｌ，Ｐ＜０．０５。班后ＦＥＶ１下降率≥５％者２２人（１３．５％），≥１０％者７人（４．３％）。上述改变与吸烟、暴露水平等因素无关。     

棉尘对女工呼吸系统的影响

选择117名接触棉尘的作业人员作为接触组,113名非接触粉尘的作业人员作为对照组,采用GBZ56—2002制订的接触棉尘工人呼吸系统症状询问表和肺功能测定方法对女性作业人员的呼吸系统症状和肺通气功能进行调查。结果显示,胸部紧束感、胸闷、气短症状,接触组均高于对照组;急性肺功能改变(APFC)和慢性肺功能改变(CPFC)检出率,接触组较对照组增高,接尘工龄>10年的差异有统计学意义(P<0·05)。两组胸片异常指标肺纹理增粗、肺纹理紊乱和胸膜增厚,本次分析结果差异无统计学意义(P>0·05)。提示棉尘对呼吸系统功能的损害随着工龄的增长、接触空气棉尘浓度的增高、接触空气棉尘分散度愈高有加重的趋势,且以急性肺功能改变更为明显。     

Bacterial contamination of uniforms.

Microbiological sampling of nurses' uniforms was undertaken using a Casella slit sampler. Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium difficile and vancomycin-resistant enterococci were detected on uniforms both before and after a span of duty. Recommendations for provision and changing of nurses' uniforms are made.