ORIGINAL PAPER
Assessment of fungal aerosol exposure at selected workplaces contaminated with organic dust of different origin
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1
Centralny Instytut Ochrony Pracy – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy / Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland (Zakład Zagrożeń Chemicznych, Pyłowych i Biologicznych, Pracownia Zagrożeń Biologicznych / Department of Chemical, Aerosol
and Biological Hazards, Biohazard Laboratory)
2
Instytut Medycyny Wsi im. Witolda Chodźki / Witold Chodźko Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland
(Zakład Biologicznych Szkodliwości Zdrowotnych i Parazytologii / Department of Biological Health Hazards and Parasitology)
Online publication date: 2018-03-21
Corresponding author
Anna Ławniczek-Wałczyk
Centralny Instytut Ochrony Pracy –
Państwowy Instytut Badawczy, Zakład Zagrożeń Chemicznych, Pyłowych i Biologicznych, Pracownia Zagrożeń Biologicznych,
ul. Czerniakowska 16, 00-701 Warszawa
Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2018;69(3):269-80
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ABSTRACT
Background: In recent years, the number of people suffering from diseases caused by fungi has been increasing. However, knowledge
of the biodiversity of fungal pathogens in the work environment is still insufficient. The aim of this work was to evaluate
the exposure to fungi being disseminated in the air of workplaces contaminated with organic dust of plant and animal origin. Material and Methods: Bioaerosol samples were collected at 3 occupational settings (poultry farm, biomass burning power plant
and wastewater treatment plant) using button samplers. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of fungal aerosol was conducted
by employing macro- and microscopic methods. Selected strains were then studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using środointernal
transcribed spacers (ITS): ITS1–ITS2, ITS3–ITS4 and ITS1–ITS4 primer pairs. Results: Average concentrations of fungal
aerosol at workplaces ranged 1.2×102–2.1×106 cfu/m3. The highest fungal concentrations were recorded in the poultry farm, while
the lowest were noted at the wastewater treatment plant. Aspergillus fumigatus was a predominant component of the mycobiota in
the power plant and wastewater treatment plant. Almost 100% identification agreement of this pathogen between the traditional
and molecular method was noted. Conclusions: The fungal concentrations in poultry farms exceeded the Polish proposal for
the threshold limit value (5×104 cfu/m3). The results of the study demonstrate a high compatibility of A. fumigatus’ identification
using the traditional and molecular methods. Taking into account the fact, that a long term exposure to A. fumigatus conidia
at workplaces may result in numerous health complaints, the use of proper protective equipment by workers must be a standard
procedure. Med Pr 2018;69(3):269–280