• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제36권3호
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• pp.191-198
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of air-borne microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, gram negative bacteria (GNB), endotoxins, and respirable suspended particles (RSPs), and their correlation with environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels) in duck houses. The mean concentrations of bacteria, fungi, and GNB were very high (> $10^6\;CFU/m^3$), and endotoxin levels exceeded $10^3\;EU/m^3$. Among the various work stages, in the task of receiving ducks, bacteria were $6.2{\times}10^6;CFU/m^3$, and GNB were $5.4{\times}10^6\;CFU/m^3$, while RSPs levels were $397.6\;{\mu}g/m^3$ and endotoxin levels were $47.2{\times}10^3\;EU/m^3$ in the task of dividing the ducks, and fungi were $4.9{\times}10^6\;CFU/m^3$ in the task of shipping the ducks. The concentrations of RSPs and endotoxins were significantly higher in tasks involving greater movement of ducks in the house, relative to tasks involving little movement of ducks (p<0.05). Further, with progression in growth of the ducks, the concentrations of bacteria, GNB, endotoxins, and RSPs were significantly increased. There was significant correlation between levels of GNB with bacteria (r=0.75) and fungi (r=0.86), endotoxins with RSPs (r=0.75), bacteria with fungi (r=0.39), and carbon dioxide with RSPs (r=0.38), bacteria (r=0.33), and endotoxins (r=0.31). These results suggest considerable respiratory hazard for farmers in these environments.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.9-16
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• 2022

Background: The global shift toward greener societies demands new technologies and work operations in the waste-management sector. However, progressive industrial methods do not necessarily consider workers' health. This study characterized workers' exposure to bioaerosols and investigated the bioaerosols' potential to engage the immune system in vitro. Methods: Full shift personal aerosol sampling was conducted over three consecutive days. Dust load was analyzed by gravimetry, fungal and actinobacterial spores were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, and endotoxin by limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. In vitro exposure of HEK cells to airborne dust samples was used to investigate the potential of inducing an inflammatory reaction. Results: The total dust exposure level exceeded the recommended occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 5.0 mg/m³ in 3 out of 15 samples. The inhalable endotoxin level exceeded the recommended exposure level by a 7-fold, whereas the fungal spore level exceeded the recommended exposure level by an 11-fold. Actinobacterial spores were identified in 8 out of 14 samples. In vitro experiments revealed significant TLR2 activation in 9 out of 14 samples vs. significant TLR4 activation in all samples. Conclusion: The present study showed that the dust samples contained potentially health-impairing endotoxin, fungi, and actinobacterial levels. Furthermore, the sampled dust contained microbial components capable of inducing TLR activation and thus have the potential to evoke an inflammatory response in exposed individuals.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.359-369
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• 2018

의료 관련 감염을 예방하기 위한 필수적 방법은 일관성이 있는 감염감시 시스템을 구축하고 효율적인 감시 통제를 수행하기 위해 신뢰할 수 있는 상황에 대해 진단을 향상시켜나가는 것이다. 또한 의료 종사자의 손과 의복 및 장비는 환자 관리 및 환경과 접촉하여 병원체가 오염되는 요인이다. 병원체를 가진 시설 표면(예: 침대 레일, 침대 옆 탁자), 음용수, 냉각탑용수, 내시경기구, 급식위생, 공기매개, 멸균검사, 내독소검사, 및 의료 장비를 포함한 의료 환경의 오염은 일반적으로 발생한다. 또한 이러한 감염원을 활동 감시를 통해 MLST, PFGE의 기법으로 역학분석을 수행한다. 따라서 HAI 예방을 위한 환경 감시배양 검사는 환자의 안전과 감염원의 차단을 향상시킬 뿐만 아니라 국가의 감염관리 시스템을 통제하여 최적의 효율적인 감염관리 예방을 가능케 하고 국가의 감염관리 시스템의 안전을 향상시킨다. 결론적으로 감시배양 검사의 표준화를 통해 실효성 있는 감염관리체계에 이바지하고 감염관리 전문인력으로서의 전문성을 확보하고자 한다. 이를 통해 표준화 마련의 일차적인 목표는 의료관련 감염을 줄이고 국가적 의료관리 체계를 향상시키는데 있다.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.183-191
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• 2010

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the distribution patterns and exposure concentrations of bioaerosols in industries suspected to have high levels of bioaerosol exposure. Methods: We selected 11 plants including 3 livestock feed plants (LF industry), 3 metal working fluids handling plants (MWFs industry), and 5 sawmills and measured total airborne bacteria, fungi, endotoxins, as well as dust. Airborne bacteria and fungi were measured with one stage impactor, six stage cascade impactor, and gelatin filters. Endotoxins were measured with polycarbonate filters. Results: The geometric means (GM) of the airborne concentrations of bacteria, fungi, and endotoxins were 1,864, $2,252\;CFU/m^3$, and $31.5\;EU/m^3$, respectively at the sawmills, followed by the LF industry (535, $585\;CFU/m^3$, and $22.0\;EU/m^3$) and MWFs industry (258, $331\;CFU/m^3$, and $8.7\;EU/m^3$). These concentrations by industry type were significantly statistically different (p < 0.01). The ratio of indoor to outdoor concentration was 6.2, 1.9, 3.2, and 3.2 for bacteria, fungi, endotoxins, and dust in the LF industry, 5.0, 0.9, 2.3, and 12.5 in the MWFs industry, and 3.7, 4.1, 3.3, and 9.7 in sawmills. The respiratory fractions of bioaerosols were differentiated by bioaerosol types and industry types: the respiratory fraction of bacteria in the LF industry, MWF industry, and sawmills was 59.4%, 72.0%, and 57.7%, respectively, and that of fungi was 77.3%, 89.5%, and 83.7% in the same order. Conclusion: We found that bioaerosol concentration was the highest in sawmills, followed by LF industry facilities and MWFs industry facilities. The indoor/outdoor ratio of microorganisms was larger than 1 and respiratory fraction of microorganisms was more than 50% of the total microorganism concentrations which might penetrate respiratory tract easily. All these findings suggest that bioaerosol in the surveyed industries should be controlled to prevent worker respiratory diseases.