Kobayashi Yoshimi, Shimada Akinori, Nemoto Mai, Morita Takehito, Adilbish Altanchimeg, Bayasgalan Mungun-Ochir
Azabu University.
Folia Histochem Cytobiol. 2014;52(3):244-9. doi: 10.5603/FHC.2014.0028.
Sand storms in Mongolia have increased in frequency and scale, resulting in increased exposure of the inhabitants of Asian countries, including Japan and Korea, to Asian sand dust (ASD), which results in adverse effects on the respiratory system. However, there is no information on the health risks of severe sand storms in domestic animals in Mongolia. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of sand dust particles on the respiratory organs, including the lungs and tracheobronchial lymph nodes, of sheep and goats exposed to severe sand storms in Mongolia. Seven adult sheep and 4 adult goats that had been exposed to sand storms and 3 sheep with no history of exposure were included in this study. Lung tissues and tracheobronchial lymph nodes were subjected to histopathological and immunohistochemical examination. The mineralogical contents of the lungs and lymph nodes were determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Fibrosis and granulomatous lesions comprising macrophages containing fine sand dust particles were observed exclusively in the lungs of sheep and goats exposed to sand storms. The activity of macrophages was also demonstrated by the presence of IL-6, TNF, and lysozyme. In addition, silicon, which is the major element of ASD (kosa aerosol), was detected exclusively in the lung tissues of the exposed animals. Our findings suggest that exposure to sand dust particles may affect the respiratory systems of domestic animals during their relatively short life span.
蒙古国沙尘暴的发生频率和规模有所增加，导致包括日本和韩国在内的亚洲国家居民接触亚洲沙尘（ASD）的机会增多，进而对呼吸系统产生不利影响。然而，目前尚无关于蒙古国家畜遭遇严重沙尘暴的健康风险的信息。本研究的目的是调查沙尘颗粒对在蒙古国遭遇严重沙尘暴的绵羊和山羊的呼吸器官（包括肺和气管支气管淋巴结）的影响。本研究纳入了7只曾遭遇沙尘暴的成年绵羊和4只成年山羊，以及3只无沙尘暴接触史的绵羊。对肺组织和气管支气管淋巴结进行了组织病理学和免疫组织化学检查。使用电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法测定肺和淋巴结的矿物成分。仅在遭遇沙尘暴的绵羊和山羊的肺中观察到了由含有细沙尘颗粒的巨噬细胞组成的纤维化和肉芽肿性病变。IL-6、TNF和溶菌酶的存在也证明了巨噬细胞的活性。此外，仅在暴露动物的肺组织中检测到了作为亚洲沙尘（黄沙气溶胶）主要成分的硅。我们的研究结果表明，在相对较短的生命周期内，接触沙尘颗粒可能会影响家畜的呼吸系统。
