title: Pulmonary function and airway inflammation among dairy parlor workers after exposure to inhalable aerosols.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inhalation exposure to organic dust causes lung inflammation among agricultural workers. Due to changes in production and work organization, task-based inhalation exposure data, including novel lung inflammation biomarkers, will inform exposure recommendations for dairy farm workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Linear regression was used to estimate the associations of airborne exposure to dust concentration, endotoxin, and muramic acid with pulmonary outcomes (i.e., FEV1, exhaled nitric oxide). Logistic regression was used to estimate associations with self-reported pulmonary symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean exposure concentration to inhalable dust, endotoxin, and muramic acid were 0.55 mg/m3, 118 EU/m3, and 3.6 mg/m3, respectively. We found cross-shift differences for exhaled nitric oxide (P = 0.005) and self-reported pulmonary symptoms (P = 0.008) but no association of exposure with respiratory outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inhalation exposures during parlor tasks, which were lower than previously reported and were not associated with cross-shift measures of pulmonary health among dairy workers. Modern milking parlor designs may be contributing to lower inhalation exposure. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:255-263, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors.forename: Matthew W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Nonnenmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Healt, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, San Antonio, Texas.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gimeno Ruiz de Porras
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health Sciences, UT Health Northeast, Tyler, Texas.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Healt, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, San Antonio, Texas.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Douphrate
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health Sciences, UT Health Northeast, Tyler, Texas.
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Boggaram
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, UT Health Northeast, Tyler, Texas.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schaffer
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.affiliation: 3M Purification, Inc., Stafford Springs, Connecticut.|Liberty Mutual Insurance, Portland, Oregon.
authors.forename: Madeleine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hornick
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, UT Health Northeast, Tyler, Texas.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reynolds
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003612:Dairying; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009112:Muramic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust; D004731:Endotoxins; D009112:Muramic Acids
keywords: aerosol; agriculture; dairy; endotoxin; exhaled nitric oxide; inhalation exposure; muramic acid; worker