Effect of Heat Stress on Immune Function in Firefighters

Details

• Personal Author:
  Golla V ; Hwang J ; Taylor R ; Yadav B ; Yadav JS
• Description:
  Background: firefighters are challenged with extremely stressful and hazardous conditions in their occupational settings. Firefighters are exposed to dangerous heat stress causing fatigue, cardiac death, cancer, kidney disease and other chronic diseases. As firefighters encounter extreme conditions of toxic chemical exposures and heat stress, an normal immune function dysfunction in firefighters cannot be ruled out. Recent studies on firefighters by our Department (Dept of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati) and others has revealed high concentrations of PAHs on the firefighter's bodies which potentially exposes them to the risk of cancer, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases as well as systemic and pulmonary inflammation disease. General studies in the literature provide evidence that chronic heat stress can alter innate immune response by inducing expression of stress proteins, (such as heat shock proteins- HSP), neuropeptides such as orexin A, and stress hormones such as cortisol. Furthermore, some studies suggested heat stress lead immediate increase of leukocytosis, sustained elevation of neutrophil and monocyte count, plasma cortisol level, after post- firefighting. One study also reported heat-stress induce inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-A production from organ/tissue other than blood mononuclear cells. Furthermore animal studies shows, hematopoietic system respond to heat stress by decreasing, hemoglobin synthesis, erythrocyte formation and packed cell volume and tilting T cell response towards immunosuppressive axis. Few reports shows chronic heat exposure weakened innate immune system leading to increase vulnerability for many communicable and noncommunicable disease including MRSA in firefighters. Hypothesis: Collectively, these facts coupled with the reports of elevated exposure to heat stresses in high risk jobs lead us to hypothesize that heat stress during firefighting can significantly alter the physiological homeostasis in firefighters in terms of altered innate and adaptive immune parameters. This alteration in immune parameters, may at least in part, can serve as a tool for finding novel biomarkers and help understand the mechanism of different disease conditions as a result of firefighting- related exposures. Objectives: Aim 1: Analyze for immune phenotyping and heat stress level in firefighters. Aim 1a: To Collect blood samples from exposed firefighters, before and after the firefighting event and immune cell profiles by flow cytometry and ELISA. Aim 1b: To analyze heat stress associated bio-markers by ELISA in serum. Aim 2: Integrated analysis to understand heat stress-associated immune changes in relation to the metadata collected from the Questionnaire. Study population: For accessing of the firefighters cohort and their sampling will be carried out in association with our Co-investigators team from Western Kentucky University. In the present investigation, a subset of 20 firefighters actively engaged in firefighting will be considered, for sampling right before the fire event and 24 hrs. after the fire event (N = 20 subjects x 2 samples/subject = 40 samples). Limitations: Expected results: 1. We expect to identify the alterations in immune profile in the firefighters owing to their occupational exposure to firefighting-associated heat stress. 2. This will also give us insights into the interplay of the altered immune parameters with the levels of occupational exposure, health condition, stress levels and lifestyle of the Firefighters. Future directions: 1. This study will characterize the specific biomarkers and immune alterations that are critical in the induction and/or progression of occupational diseases in firefighter. 2. Modulation of the altered immune status might help restore the homeostasis of the firefighters to regain the healthy natural condition. 3. Preliminary data obtained through this pilot study will be used to submit a larger grant to NIOSH to pursue future expanded studies on the role of heat stress, fatigue in immune-mediated neurological health disorders and diseases in firefighters. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biomarkers Firefighters Heat Stress Disorders Hot Temperature Immune System Nervous System Nervous System Diseases Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Fire Fighters Heat Stress Immune Reaction Immune System Disorders Neurological Disorders
• Publisher:
  University of Cincinnati
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Kentucky ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20054911
• Citation:
  19th Annual Pilot Research Project Symposium, University of Cincinnati Education and Research Center, October 11-12, 2018, Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati, OH: University of Cincinnati, 2018 Oct; :1
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Performing Organization:
  University of Cincinnati
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  19th Annual Pilot Research Project Symposium, University of Cincinnati Education and Research Center, October 11-12, 2018, Cincinnati, Ohio
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:df912ed82d57eafbf0242961bd78ae65f618a3d7087c75f951edef046d18d386b3d4182e8a1c488a94d084f8f00eb378b45fa4202dbb51e9abe7bf12a6c033aa
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/217322/cdc_217322_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 297.68 KB ]