title: Respiratory morbidity induced by occupational inhalation exposure to high concentrations of wheat flour dust.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main purpose of this study was to investigate the respiratory effects of exposure to high airborne concentrations of wheat flour dust.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was carried out at a local wheat flour mill in Shiraz, southern Iran. Thirty-five male workers exposed to flour dust and 32 healthy male nonexposed employees were investigated. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms among them was evaluated and parameters of their pulmonary function were measured. Moreover, to assess the extent to which subjects were exposed to flour dust, airborne concentrations of its inhalable and respirable fractions were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Airborne concentrations of dust exceeded current permissible level. The prevalence of regular cough, productive cough, wheezing, phlegm and dyspnea was significantly higher in exposed subjects than in nonexposed employees. Similarly, both acute and chronic significant (p < .05) decrements in most parameters of pulmonary function were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings provide corroborative evidence to further support the notion that exposure to flour dust is associated with a significant increase in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms as well as ventilator disorders of the lungs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neghab
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soltanzadeh
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alipour
authors.forename: Jafar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hasanzadeh
authors.forename: Hamzeh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alipour
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004391:Dust; D005433:Flour / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010316:Particle Size; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust