Larsson B M, Larsson K, Malmberg P, Mártensson L, Palmberg L
Department of Occupational Medicine, National Institute for Working Life, Solna, Sweden.
Am J Ind Med. 1999 Feb;35(2):142-9. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199902)35:2<142::aid-ajim6>3.0.co;2-9.
Workers in the poultry industry have increased frequencies of respiratory health problems. The aim of the present study was to investigate acute health effects from exposure in poultry houses and to compare the health effects observed in a cage rearing system and the alternative "cage-less" rearing system for laying hens.
Thirty-four subjects were exposed for 3 hr in confined poultry houses. The subjects were randomized into three groups: one was exposed in a building with a cage rearing system and the two other groups were exposed in buildings with a cage-less system, with either young hens and fresh bedding material or with older hens and old bedding material.
Inhalable dust levels were approximately 4 mg/m3 in the buildings with the cage-less system and 2 mg/m3 in the building with cage rearing system; the endotoxin concentration was approximately 100 ng/m3 in both systems. Bronchial responsiveness to methacholine increased approximately fivefold in all groups following exposure. The concentration of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) increased in nasal lavage fluid and in peripheral blood as a result of the exposure. The number of leukocytes in peripheral blood increased only in the groups exposed among loose laying hens.
In the present study, we have demonstrated among previously non-exposed subjects, that 3-hr exposure in confined buildings for egg production induces an acute inflammatory reaction in the upper airways and increased bronchial responsiveness. There is a tendency towards stronger reactions in the groups exposed in the buildings with loose housing for laying hens.
家禽行业的工人呼吸道健康问题的发生率有所增加。本研究的目的是调查家禽舍暴露的急性健康影响，并比较在蛋鸡笼养系统和替代的“无笼”饲养系统中观察到的健康影响。
34名受试者在密闭的家禽舍中暴露3小时。受试者被随机分为三组：一组在采用笼养系统的鸡舍中暴露，另外两组在采用无笼系统的鸡舍中暴露，其中一组是幼母鸡和新鲜垫料，另一组是成年母鸡和旧垫料。
采用无笼系统的鸡舍中可吸入粉尘水平约为4毫克/立方米，采用笼养系统的鸡舍中为2毫克/立方米；两种系统中的内毒素浓度均约为100纳克/立方米。暴露后，所有组对乙酰甲胆碱的支气管反应性增加了约五倍。暴露导致鼻腔灌洗液和外周血中促炎细胞因子白细胞介素-6（IL-6）的浓度升高。外周血白细胞数量仅在散养母鸡暴露组中增加。
在本研究中，我们在先前未暴露的受试者中证明，在密闭的产蛋鸡舍中暴露3小时会在上呼吸道引发急性炎症反应，并增加支气管反应性。在散养产蛋鸡的鸡舍中暴露的组中，反应有更强的趋势。
