Evaluation of respiratory effects related to high-pressure cleaning in a piggery with and without robot pre-cleaning.
OBJECTIVE
Exposure in connection with cleaning piggeries induces airway inflammation. The aim of this study was to compare the health effects related to two different cleaning processes in a piggery.


METHODS
In a cross-over study design, 12 subjects were randomly exposed for three hours during the cleaning of a piggery with a high pressure water jet, with and without pre-cleaning using a robot. We assessed lung function, bronchial responsiveness, symptoms, body temperature, and exhaled nitric oxide, and performed blood sampling and nasal lavage before and after both exposures.


RESULTS
Compared with ordinary cleaning without the use of a robot, pre-cleaning with a robot significantly reduced the increase in bronchial responsiveness (P=0.049), total cell number (P=0.0029), and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-8 level [P=0.016]) in nasal lavage, and diminished the increase in neutrophils (P=0.0029) in the blood.


CONCLUSIONS
Pre-cleaning of a piggery with a robot reduced exposure to dust and endotoxin, and resulted in an attenuation of the increase in bronchial responsiveness and the airway inflammatory response compared pre-cleaning without a robot.
Hiel
Deline
D
Lung and Allergy Research, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
von Schéele
Ida
I
Sundblad
Britt-Marie
BM
Larsson
Kjell
K
Palmberg
Lena
L
D000328:Adult; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012371:Robotics; D013552:Swine; D055815:Young Adult
D009569:Nitric Oxide