caa a22 4500 463194292 CHVBK 20180406164918.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170326e20070201xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s00420-006-0135-2 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s00420-006-0135-2 A 5-year follow-up study on respiratory disorders and lung function in workers exposed to organic dust from composting plants [Elektronische Daten] [Jürgen Bünger, Bernhard Schappler-Scheele, Reinhard Hilgers, Ernst Hallier] Objectives: To evaluate acute and chronic effects of long-term exposure to organic dust on respiratory disorders and lung function among employees at 41 composting facilities in Germany. Methods: A total of 218 compost workers and 66 control subjects were enrolled in the cohort. They were evaluated using a standardized questionnaire, a clinical examination, and spirometric measurements. Changes of symptoms, respiratory disorders, and lung function were determined in a first survey after 5years of exposure in 123 compost workers and 48 controls. Exposure measurements were performed at six composting facilities for respirable dust, cultivable microorganisms, and endotoxins. Results: Exposure measurements revealed high concentrations of thermo-tolerant/thermophilic actinomycetes and filamentous fungi in the bioaerosols at the composting sites. A significantly higher job fluctuation was observed among the compost workers compared to control subjects (95 vs. 18; p<0.05). Compost workers reported a significantly higher prevalence of mucosal membrane irritation (MMI) of the eyes and upper airways than control subjects. Conjunctivitis was diagnosed significantly more often in compost workers. Forced vital capacity in percent of predicted (FVC%) of the non-smoking compost workers declined significantly (−5.4%) during the observation period compared to control subjects. The decline of FVC% in 16 compost workers exceeded 10% of initial values. A significant increase was observed in the number of compost workers suffering from chronic bronchitis (RR=1.41; 95% CI=1.28-1.55). Allergic alveolitis was diagnosed clinically in two compost workers. Conclusions: The exposure to organic dust at workplaces of composting facilities is associated with adverse acute and chronic respiratory health effects, including MMI, chronic bronchitis, and an accelerated decline of FVC%. The pattern of health effects differs from those at other workplaces with exposures to organic dust possibly due to high concentrations of thermo-tolerant/thermophilic actinomycetes and filamentous fungi at composting plants. Springer-Verlag, 2006 Bioaerosol exposure nationallicence Organic dust nationallicence Lung function nationallicence Chronic bronchitis nationallicence Hypersensitivity pneumonitis nationallicence Bünger Jürgen Research Institute for Occupational Medicine of the Institutions for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention (BGFA), Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum, Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany aut Schappler-Scheele Bernhard Lower Saxony State Agency for Environment, Göttinger Str.14, 30002, Hannover, Germany aut Hilgers Reinhard Department of Biometry and Medical Statistics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Humboldtallee 32, 37073, Göttingen, Germany aut Hallier Ernst Department of Occupational and Social Medicine, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Waldweg 37, 37073, Göttingen, Germany aut International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Springer-Verlag 80/4(2007-02-01), 306-312 0340-0131 80:4<306 2007 80 420 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0135-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0135-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Bünger Jürgen Research Institute for Occupational Medicine of the Institutions for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention (BGFA), Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum, Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Schappler-Scheele Bernhard Lower Saxony State Agency for Environment, Göttinger Str.14, 30002, Hannover, Germany aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Hilgers Reinhard Department of Biometry and Medical Statistics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Humboldtallee 32, 37073, Göttingen, Germany aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Hallier Ernst Department of Occupational and Social Medicine, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Waldweg 37, 37073, Göttingen, Germany aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Springer-Verlag 80/4(2007-02-01), 306-312 0340-0131 80:4<306 2007 80 420 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer