Respiratory disorders and atopy in Danish refuse workers.
This survey describes respiratory and mucosal symptoms of garbage-handling and recycling workers in Denmark. The study includes 20 paper-sorting workers, eight compost workers, and 44 garbage-handling workers. As a control group, 119 workers from water purification plants of Copenhagen were chosen; workers in our study had a lower mean age and shorter mean employment time than did members of the control group. There was no significant difference in tobacco consumption between the groups. Garbage-handling workers were exposed to a significantly higher mean concentration (SD) of total dust than were water supply workers-0.74 (0.77) mg/m3 compared with 0.42 (0.25) mg/m3 (p < 0.05). Total count of microorganisms was significantly higher in garbage-handling and composting areas compared with paper-sorting as well as water supply areas 0.46 (0.125) x 10(5), 0.54 (0.77) x 10(5), 4.7 (5.89) x 10(3), and 0.08 (0.04) x 10(3) cfu/m3, respectively (p < 0.05). This difference could not be explained as an effect of differential growth requirements. Significantly higher amounts of gram-negative bacteria were found in composting and garbage-handling plants than in water-supply plants. In garbage-handling plants only, there were significantly higher amounts of endotoxins than in paper-sorting plants. Significantly higher prevalence of chest tightness (14%), flu-like symptoms (14%), itching eyes (27%), itching nose (14), and sore or itching throat (21%) were found among garbage-handling workers, compared with, respectively, 1, 1, 11 and 0% among water-supply workers. Furthermore, prevalence of nausea and vomiting or diarrhea rose from 2% and 7% among the water-supply workers to 19% and 27% among the garbage workers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Sigsgaard
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Institute of Social Medicine, University of Aarhus, Denmark.
Malmros
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Nersting
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Petersen
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C
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000391:Air Microbiology; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015984:Causality; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012882:Skin Tests; D013997:Time Factors
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational