Ambient endotoxin level in an area with intensive livestock production.
High levels of endotoxin are found inside and near to animal houses. However, there is a lack of data on environmental endotoxin in areas with intensive animal production facilities. We conducted a cross-sectional study of respiratory health in two villages of Lower Saxony with intensive livestock production. We assessed the level of endotoxin exposure in the backyards of 32 participants with two 24-hours measurements of inhalable fraction (one in winter and one in summer). The geometric mean (geometric standard deviation) of the levels of endotoxin varied between 2.0 (2.9) EU/m3 in winter and 2.9 (2.4) EU/m3 in summer. Potential predictors--season, sampling sites, and weather conditions--explained 24% of the variability in ambient endotoxin concentration in the study area. The results indicate that, compared with urban residents, exposure to endotoxin is greater among people living in rural areas with intensive animal production. This might affect their respiratory health. However, these exposures are characterized by a large spatial variability.
Schulze
Anja
A
Institute for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Unit for Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology and Net Teaching, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Ziemssenstr. 1; 80336 Munich, Germany.
van Strien
Rob
R
Ehrenstein
Vera
V
Schierl
Rudolf
R
Küchenhoff
Helmut
H
Radon
Katja
K
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016272:Occupational Health; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014887:Weather
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004731:Endotoxins