title: Agents in organic dust: criteria for a causal relationship.
abstract: Identification of agents of disease causation in organic dust is complicated by the fact that multiple agents may be involved, and these agents may act in a synergistic or additive fashion and cause a number of conditions resulting from chronic toxic or inflammatory effects. A new systematic approach to evaluating available data for evidence of disease-causing agents in organic dust is proposed. It combines, in a matrix fashion, principles of Koch's postulates, River's postulates, principles of epidemiologic determinants, and weight of evidence theory. By applying these principles in a systematic fashion, the strength of the scientific evidence for a specific agent can objectively be evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agricultural Medicine and Occupational Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City 55242.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Donham
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Thorne
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004391:Dust