Organic dust toxic syndrome: clinical and laboratory evaluation of a cluster of cases.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Castellan, Robert M. ; Marx JJ ; Olenchock SA ; Parker, John E. ; Sorenson WG
• Description:
  Eleven male workers, aged 15-60 years, moved 800 bushels of oats from a poorly ventilated storage bin in Alabama. The oats were reported to contain pockets of white, powdery dust. Work conditions were descnbed as extremely dusty, and all workers wore single-strap, disposable masks while inside the bin. The workers shoveled the oats for 8 hours in groups of two or three for shifts of 20 to 30 minutes. Two workers remained outside the storage bin and developed no symptoms. Within 4 to 12 hours, all nine who worked inside the bin became ill with fever/ chills, chest discomfort, and weakness/fatigue. Eight reported shortness of breath, six had nonproductive cough, five complained of myalgias, and four developed headache. Six sought physician attention within the first 2 days of symptoms. Reported abnormal physical signs included: temperature greater than 38.0 degrees C in two, crackles in two, and wheeze in one. Chest radiographs were normal by B-reader review in all six. Symptoms resolved in all affected workers in 2 to 12 days (median 4). Samples of bulk oats and sera from 10 workers were collected. Airborne dust generated in the laboratory from the bulk oats contained 39.5 mg/m3 of respirable dust and the following concentrations of viable organisms ( cfu/m3): 1.4x105 total bacteria, l.sx103 gram negative bacteria, 1.8x105 thermophilic actinomycetes and 8.3x104 fungi (12 species). Endotoxin content in the airborne dust was 325.7 endotoxin units/mg. Serologic testing for antibodies to an aqueous extract of the bulk oats, to nine standard hypersensitivity pneumonitis antigens, and to aqueous extracts of the fungal isolates failed to separate ill from asymptomatic workers. Despite the initial clinical diagnosis of farmer's lung disease, the clustering of illness experienced by these workers is typical of organic dust toxic syndrome related to inhalation of high concentrations of organic dust contaminated with microbial organisms and their products.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Azo Compounds Biochemistry Coloring Agents Hazardous Substances Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Airborne Dusts Airborne Particles Airborne Particulates Antibodies Antigens Bacteria Confined Spaces Dust Exposure Dust Particles Dusts Endotoxins Farmers Farm Workers Fatigue Fungi Humans Laboratories Lung Disease Men Microorganisms ODTS Organic Dusts Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome Pneumonitis Radiography Work Environment Workers

  More +
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  581
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20056489
• Citation:
  Papers and Proceedings of the Surgeon General's Conference on Agricultural Safety and Health (FarmSafe 2000). Myers ML, Herrick RF, Olenchock SA, Myers JR, Parker, John E., Hard DL, Wilson K, eds. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 92-105, 1992 Sep; :581
• Editor(s):
  Myers ML ; Herrick RF ; Olenchock SA ; Myers JR ; Parker, John E. ; Hard DL ; Wilson K
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1992
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Papers and Proceedings of the Surgeon General's Conference on Agricultural Safety and Health (FarmSafe 2000), April 30-May 3, 1991, Des Moines, Iowa
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:afed8f3ad1f53ac64cb143d8ca3a3a32c62f9bead60c9812810b762e0e696ab13b83f7784f9ff211ac19a7721bfc32a696749cd4619cf94e0d2495737e1b179e
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/181787/cdc_181787_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 65.28 KB ]