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La Medicina Del Lavoro Dec 2019.
UNLABELLED
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BACKGROUND:
The Clinica del Lavoro of Milan provided several contributions to industrial hygiene and occupational toxicology during the twentieth century.
OBJECTIVES:
Describe the first years of the laboratory of industrial hygiene of Milan through three figures who played a leading role: Enrico Carlo Vigliani, Nicola Zurlo and Gianmario Cavagna.
METHODS:
Scientific literature of the period 1948-1970 was investigated, also interviewing first-hand witnesses of that period.
RESULTS:
Enrico Vigliani was the first European scholar to understand the importance of a laboratory of industrial hygiene within his institution. Thanks to the support of private (Montecatini) and public (INAIL) institutions he succeeded in creating a laboratory in 1948. Nicola Zurlo, who directed this structure in the first thirty years, conducted innovative studies on chronic mercury intoxication, lead intoxication and silicosis, designing and creating instruments for capturing and analyzing atmospheric dust and protection devices. He conducted analysis of the health effects of organophosphorus insecticides and started to study the air pollution. Zurlo also provided an epistemological and methodological content to the discipline. Gianmario Cavagna, one of the first Italian toxicologists, contributed to the discovery of the origin of fevers caused by the inhalation of metal fumes and to the studies on the pathogenesis of byssinosis, hypothesizing a role of bacterial endotoxins in the genesis of this disease.
CONCLUSIONS:
The contributions provided by these three protagonists to industrial hygiene and occupational toxicology were relevant and made in those years the Clinica del Lavoro of Milan as a landmark, not only in Italy but also abroad.
Topics: History, 20th Century; Humans; Italy; Laboratories; Lead Poisoning; Occupational Health; Occupational Medicine
PubMed: 31846445
DOI: 10.23749/mdl.v110iS1.8875 -
International Journal of Occupational... 2016Prior studies have been performed on cotton textile plants throughout the world. This study was planned to identify the rate of byssinosis and chronic obstructive...
OBJECTIVES
Prior studies have been performed on cotton textile plants throughout the world. This study was planned to identify the rate of byssinosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in hemp and jute workers and those who worked with both of them.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The study was realized in a factory which consecutively processed hemp and jute. The study enrollment included 266 people, 164 of whom were active workers and 102 were retired. A questionnaire, plain chest X-rays, physical examination and pulmonary function tests were performed. Dust levels were measured in various sections of the factory during 8 h work shifts. Endotoxin levels of various quality hemp fibers and dusts were measured.
RESULTS
The rate of byssinosis (28.2%) was higher among the workers that who exposed to both jute and hemp dust. The frequency of chronic bronchitis in retired workers who previously smoked was higher (20%) as compared to currently smoking workers (17%). High dust levels were measured in some parts of the factory (mean (M) = 2.69 mg/m3). Working in dense dust areas, active smoking, being older than 40 years of age, being an ex-smoker, and working in the factory for a period exceeding 15 years were significantly associated with bronchitis and emphysema development. High endotoxin levels were determined for fine hemp dust (605 EU/mg), coarse hemp dust (336 EU/mg) and poor quality hemp fibers (114 EU/mg), whereas in fresh hemp stalks the level of endotoxin was determined to be lower (0.27 EU/mg).
CONCLUSIONS
Because of high exposures to jute and hemp dusts that are associated with high byssinosis rates, personal protection and environmental hygiene is crucial to prevention of byssinosis.
Topics: Adult; Bronchitis; Byssinosis; Cannabis; Corchorus; Dust; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Textile Industry
PubMed: 26489943
DOI: 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.00512 -
Inquiry : a Journal of Medical Care... 2022Workers in the textile industry risk developing various respiratory and pulmonary diseases due to exposure to cotton dust. The particles from the cotton lint are inhaled...
BACKGROUND
Workers in the textile industry risk developing various respiratory and pulmonary diseases due to exposure to cotton dust. The particles from the cotton lint are inhaled by the workers and results in the breathing problems including asthma, shortness of breath, cough and tightness in the chest. The poor health of labor contributes to the low productivity of the labor and in serious cases loss of jobs leading to the poverty.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among the textile workers and associated community. To contrast the health profiles of the textile workers, associated community and the control group to factor out any confounding factors.
METHODS
This study explores the health profiles of the textile workers and associated community and contrast them against the health profile of the control group to factor out any confounding factors. The study is conducted on cotton industry in Kasur, Pakistan. We interviewed 207 workers, 226 people from associated community (living in vicinities of weaving units) and 188 people for control group (from areas far away from weaving units and people are not associated with weaving industry) based on stratified random sampling technique. We employed descriptive methods and logistic regression to explore the association between respiratory diseases and weaving workers.
RESULTS
Overall, prevalence of postnasal drip, byssinosis, asthma, and chronic bronchitis were 47%, 35%, 20%, and 10%, respectively, among the workers. These percentages are significantly higher than the control group. An additional year of work increase the risk of postnasal drip, byssinosis, asthma, and chronic bronchitis by 5-6%. Among workers, 43% and 21% feel difficulty in hearing against noisy background and at low volume, respectively. Due to bad light arrangements at workstations, 21% and 31% workers are suffering from myopia and hyperopia, respectively. Proportions of the workers suffering from continuous headache, skin infection, depression, and low back pain are 28%, 29%, 27%, and 44%, respectively. Chi-square test results confirms that no confounding factor like air pollution is involved in this cause-and-effect study implying the association between the cotton dust and associated diseases is not spurious.
CONCLUSION
Respiratory symptoms were statistically significantly more common in the weaving workers compared to control group. Better environment at workstations, use of protective gears and education are the factors which reduce the risk of associated diseases among workers.
Topics: Asthma; Bronchitis, Chronic; Byssinosis; Cotton Fiber; Dust; Humans; Occupational Exposure; Textiles
PubMed: 35604168
DOI: 10.1177/00469580221088626 -
Annals of Agricultural and... Dec 2020The occupational bioaerosols containing viruses, bacteria, fungi, microbial toxins and plant or animal particles, may evoke infectious, allergic or immunotoxic diseases... (Review)
Review
COVID 19 - Possible interrelations with respiratory comorbidities caused by occupational exposure to various hazardous bioaerosols. Part I. Occurrence, epidemiology and presumed origin of the pandemic.
The occupational bioaerosols containing viruses, bacteria, fungi, microbial toxins and plant or animal particles, may evoke infectious, allergic or immunotoxic diseases which may co-exist as comorbidities with COVID-19 and exacerbate the course of disease. They include hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) caused mostly by bacteria, fungi, and particles containing animal proteins, and immunotoxic diseases such as organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS) and byssinosis, caused mostly by bacterial and fungal toxins. The two most probable scenarios of possible interrelations between these three comorbidities (CM) and COVID-19 are: 1) 'Triggering' - when infection with SARS-CoV-2 triggers severe CM after bioaerosol exposure; 2) 'Reverse triggering' when exposure to bioaerosol exacerbates a symptomless or mild course of COVID-19, and evokes a severe disease. The occupations mostly endangered by COVID-19 as the result of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 bioaerosol, or to other bioaerosols which may exacerbate this disease, include: health care workers, social workers, breeders of fur animals, slaughterhouse workers, workers engaged in the processing and selling of seafood, and probably also agricultural workers, mainly in the developing countries. The authors present a hypothesis for the origin of the present pandemic. It assumes that a mild form of the present SARS-CoV-2 that is supposedly circulating among the Chinese population in the eastern part of the country, mutated under the influence of as yet unknown factor(s) present in the Chinese seafood markets, probably component(s) of bioaerosols, into the virulent and highly contagious form, known as the present SARS-CoV-2, under a scenario similar to that the authors have named 'Reverse triggering'.
Topics: Aerosols; Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic; Animals; Byssinosis; COVID-19; Comorbidity; Food-Processing Industry; Hazardous Substances; Health Personnel; Humans; Occupational Exposure; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 33356052
DOI: 10.26444/aaem/130871 -
The International Journal of... Oct 2014Cotton is the main agricultural export product in Benin. Cotton dust is thus present in the air during the handling and processing of cotton. This dust contains a...
BACKGROUND
Cotton is the main agricultural export product in Benin. Cotton dust is thus present in the air during the handling and processing of cotton. This dust contains a mixture of substances including ground up plant matter, fibres, bacteria, fungi, soil, pesticides, noncotton matter, and other contaminants. While cotton processing is decreasing in industrialized countries, it is increasing in developing countries. Cotton processing, particularly in the early processes of spinning, can cause byssinosis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the respiratory effects of cotton dust exposure among cotton mill workers in Benin.
METHODS
In a cross-sectional study, 109 workers exposed to cotton dust and 107 unexposed workers were studied. The International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) questionnaire was used for data collection on respiratory symptoms. For each worker, crossshift pulmonary function was performed with a dry spirometer. Based on the severity of respiratory symptoms and spirometry byssinosis was defined and classified according to the criteria of Schilling, et al.
RESULTS
The mean ± SD age of the exposed and unexposed workers was 46.3 ± 7.8 and 37.0 ± 8.3 years, respectively (p<0.001). The mean FEV1 predicted value for the exposed and unexposed workers was 76.3% and 77.3%, respectively. The prevalence of grade 3 byssinosis was 21.1% (95% CI: 13.4-28.9) in exposed workers and 8.4% (95% CI: 3.1-13.7) in unexposed workers (p=0.006). On Mondays, the exposed workers had more respiratory symptoms than unexposed workers; for grade 3 byssinosis, the prevalence was 13.8% in exposed and 4.7% in unexposed workers (p=0.011).
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of respiratory symptoms and byssinosis among cotton mill workers in Benin is high and needs prompt attention of health care workers and policymakers.
Topics: Adult; Benin; Byssinosis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dust; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Exposure; Prevalence; Respiration Disorders; Surveys and Questionnaires; Textile Industry; Vital Capacity
PubMed: 25270009
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Public Health in Africa Oct 2023Occupational exposure to cotton dust is still an important cause of respiratory problems in textile workers particularly in less developed countries like Egypt. Evaluate...
Occupational exposure to cotton dust is still an important cause of respiratory problems in textile workers particularly in less developed countries like Egypt. Evaluate respiratory symptoms and diseases, and pulmonary function pattern among Egyptian textile workers. Cross sectional comparative study was conducted from December 2019 to September 2020 in a textile factory in Egypt; 364 male workers (184 cotton dust exposed workers, and 180 unexposed workers) were included. Participants were subjected to an interviewing questionnaire, British Medical Research Council questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, pulmonary function tests, and byssinosis grading format. Descriptive and analytic statistics were conducted. Chronic cough, phlegm production, and shortness of breath grade I, II and III were more reported in cotton dust exposed workers than unexposed workers (P#x003C;0.01, P#x003C;0.01, and P=0.02, respectively). Prevalence of chronic bronchitis was significantly higher among cotton dust exposed workers (12%) than unexposed workers (3.9%) (P#x003C;0.01). The mean percent predicted values of lung function indices reflecting large-1irway function (VC, FVC, FEV, FEV%, PEFR, and FEF) were significantly lower in cotton dust exposed workers (P#x003C;0.01). Prevalence of byssinosis was 22.8%. Workers with byssinosis had significantly higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis, cross-shift reduction in PEFR and significant decrease in mean percent predicted values of FVC, FEV, PEFR, FEF, and FEF than workers without byssinosis. This study revealed a substantial association between cotton dust exposure at work and respiratory symptoms and morbidity. Regular measurement of cross shift change in PEFR is recommended among exposed workers for early diagnosis of byssinosis.
PubMed: 38020280
DOI: 10.4081/jphia.2023.2741 -
Seminars in Respiratory and Critical... Jun 2015Environmental and occupational pulmonary diseases impose a substantial burden of morbidity and mortality on the global population. However, it has been long observed... (Review)
Review
Environmental and occupational pulmonary diseases impose a substantial burden of morbidity and mortality on the global population. However, it has been long observed that only some of those who are exposed to pulmonary toxicants go on to develop disease; increasingly, it is being recognized that genetic differences may underlie some of this person-to-person variability. Studies performed throughout the globe are demonstrating important gene-environment interactions for diseases as diverse as chronic beryllium disease, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, silicosis, asbestosis, byssinosis, occupational asthma, and pollution-associated asthma. These findings have, in many instances, elucidated the pathogenesis of these highly complex diseases. At the same time, however, translation of this research into clinical practice has, for good reasons, proceeded slowly. No genetic test has yet emerged with sufficiently robust operating characteristics to be clearly useful or practicable in an occupational or environmental setting. In addition, occupational genetic testing raises serious ethical and policy concerns. Therefore, the primary objective must remain ensuring that the workplace and the environment are safe for all.
Topics: Animals; Gene-Environment Interaction; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genetic Testing; Global Health; Humans; Lung Diseases; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Respiratory Tract Diseases
PubMed: 26024343
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1549450 -
Journal of Ayub Medical College,... 2023Cotton dust is generated during various textile manufacturing processes. Only a few studies from Pakistan assessed cotton dust exposure and explored the relationship of...
BACKGROUND
Cotton dust is generated during various textile manufacturing processes. Only a few studies from Pakistan assessed cotton dust exposure and explored the relationship of duration of work in the textile industry with respiratory health outcomes. We aimed to assess cotton dust exposure and its association with lung function and respiratory symptoms among textile workers in Pakistan.
METHODS
We report findings from the baseline survey of the larger study, MultiTex, among 498 adult male textile workers from six mills conducted between October 2015-March 2016 in Karachi, Pakistan. Data collection included the use of standardized questionnaires; spirometry, and area dust measurements through UCB-PATS. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models were developed to assess the association of risk factors with respiratory symptoms and illnesses.
RESULTS
We found the mean age of workers to be 32.5 (±10) years; around 25% were illiterate. The prevalence of COPD, asthma, and byssinosis was 10%, 17%, and 2%, respectively. The median cotton dust exposure was 0.33 mg/m3 (IQR: 0.12-0.76). Increased duration of work among non-smokers was associated with a decline in lung function, FVC (-245 ml; 95% CI: -385.71, -104.89) and FEV1 (-200 ml; 95% CI: -328.71, -841.1). Workers with certain job titles (machine operators, helpers, and jobbers), those with greater duration of work, and higher dust exposure, were more likely to report respiratory symptoms and illnesses.
CONCLUSIONS
We report a high prevalence of asthma and COPD and a low prevalence of byssinosis. Cotton dust exposure and duration of employment were associated with respiratory health outcomes. Our findings highlight the need for preventive interventions in the textile industry in Pakistan.
Topics: Adult; Male; Humans; Young Adult; Dust; Byssinosis; Textiles; Asthma; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
PubMed: 36849387
DOI: 10.55519/JAMC-01-10901 -
Food and Chemical Toxicology : An... May 2023Metal fume fever is a well-known occupational disease that arises from prolonged exposure to subtoxic levels of zinc oxide-containing fumes or dust. This review article... (Review)
Review
Metal fume fever is a well-known occupational disease that arises from prolonged exposure to subtoxic levels of zinc oxide-containing fumes or dust. This review article aims to identify and examine the possible immunotoxicological effects of inhaled zinc oxide nanoparticles. The current most widely accepted pathomechanism for the development of the disease involves the formation of reactive oxygen species following the entry of zinc oxide particles into the alveolus resulting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines by activation of the Nuclear Factor Kappa B transcriptional signal, thus evoking the symptoms. The role of metallothionein in inducing tolerance is believed to be a key factor in mitigating the development of metal fume fever. The other, poorly proven hypothetical route is that zinc-oxide particles bind to an undefined protein in the body as haptens to form an antigen and act as an allergen. After activation of the immune system, primary antibodies and immune complexes are developed and type 1. hypersensitivity reaction occurs, that can cause asthmatic dyspnoea, urticaria and angioedema. The development of tolerance is explained by the formation of secondary antibodies against primary antibodies. Oxidative stress and immunological processes cannot be completely separated from each other, as they can induce each other.
Topics: Humans; Zinc Oxide; Welding; Lung; Byssinosis; Inhalation Exposure; Air Pollutants, Occupational
PubMed: 36907501
DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.113722