Work-related health effects in swine building workers after respiratory protection use.
OBJECTIVE
To compare inflammation and lung function in swine workers after periods with and without respiratory protection during work.


METHODS
Twenty-three workers were examined before and after two nonprotected work shifts. One shift was preceded by a period with diminished exposure by use of respirators. The other shift was preceded by an unprotected period of work.


RESULTS
Endotoxin concentrations were similarly high (24,636 and 28,775 endotoxin units/m(3)). A 3.1% cross-shift decline in forced vital capacity occurred after the period with respiratory protection (P = 0.01). Blood leukocytes increased more (P = 0.01) and bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein was reduced (P = 0.015) only after the period with respiratory protection. Plasma interleukin-6 increased (P < 0.0001) during both visits.


CONCLUSIONS
Respiratory protection resulted in cross-shift inflammatory and respiratory reactions at return to unprotected work.
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Institute of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. jb@mil.au.dk
Jakob Hjort
JH
Bønløkke
Marc
M
Veillette
Anne
A
Mériaux
Caroline
C
Duchaine
Yvon
Y
Cormier
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D013552:Swine; D055815:Young Adult