Microorganisms found in bioaerosols from animal confinement buildings not only foster the risk of spreading diseases among livestock buildings, but also pose health hazards to farm workers and nearby residents. This study identified the various microorganisms present in the air of swine, chicken, and cattle farms with different kinds of ventilation conditions in Korea. Microbial air samples were collected onto Petri dishes with bacterial or fungal growth media using a cascade impactor. Endotoxin levels in total dust were determined by the limulus amebocyte lysate kinetic QCL method. Prevalent Gram-positive bacteria were Staphylococcus (S.) lentus, S. chromogenes, Bacillus (B.) cereus, B. licheniformis, and Enterococcus faecalis, while the dominant fungi and Gram-negative bacteria were Candida albicans and Sphingomonas paucimobilis, respectively. Considering no significant relationship between the indoor dust endotoxin levels and the isolation of Gram-negative bacteria from the indoor air, monitoring the indoor airborne endotoxin level was found to be also critical for risk assessment on health for animals or workers. The present study confirms the importance of microbiological monitoring and control on animal husbandry indoor air to ensure animal and worker welfare.
This paper deals with laboratory studies on Trichogrammatoidea bactrae fumata, parasitizing Corcyra cephalonica. Results are reported on the development, longevity, fecundity, mortality of immature stages, sex ratio in parasitized eggs and rate of parasitism.
The development from egg to adult was ranging from 8–9 days. Virgin females produced all male offspring. However, fed or starved mated female parasitoids produced either female, male or both sexes. The total mean number of offspring produced by virgin females was significantly higher than that of mated females (102.5 and 67.4, respectively). When starved, females produced an average of about 10 offspring only. The longevity of fed females was significant longer than fed males. The overall mortality of immatures produced by mated and virgin females was not significantly different. This mortality was also independent of the nutritional state of the mother (fed or starved). The mean total number of C. cephalonica eggs parasitized by fed mated and virgin parasitoids was 49.0 and 48.7, respectively.
Zusammenfassung
Laboruntersuchungen zur Biologie von Trichogrammatoidea bactrae fumata Nagaraja
Es wird über die Ergebnisse von Laboruntersuchungen (Entwicklung, Lebensdauer, Fekundität, Mortalität der immaturen Stadien, Geschlechterverhältnis in den parasitierten Eiern sowie Parasi‐tierungsrate) der in Corcyra cephalonica parasitierenden Schlupfwespe Trichogrammatoidea bactrae fumata berichtet.
Die Entwicklungszeit vom Ei bis zur Imago betrug 8‐9 Tage. Unbefruchtete Weibchen hatten nur männliche Nachkommen. Jedoch zeigten befruchtete Weibchen, die gefüttert wurden oder hungerten, sowohl nur weibliche oder nur männliche als auch Nachkommen beiderlei Geschlechts. Die durchschnittliche Zahl der Nachkommenschaft unbefruchteter Weibchen war signifikant höher als bei befruchteten Weibchen (102,5 und 67,4). Hungernde Weibchen hatten i. M. nur 10 Nachkommen. Die Lebensdauer gefütterter Weibchen war signifikant länger als diejenige der gefütterten Männchen. Hinsichtlich der Larvenmortalität von Nachkommen befruchteter oder unbefruchteter Weibchen ergab sich kein signifikanter Unterschied; auch war die Larvenmortalität nicht abhängig vom Ernährungszustand der Muttertiere (hungernd oder gefüttert). Die durchschnittliche Gesamtzahl parasitierter C. cephalonica‐Eier betrug bei gefütter‐ten, befruchteten Weibchen 49,0 und bei unbefruchteten Weibchen 48,7.
Exposure to bioaerosols in indoor animal farms associates with respiratory illnesses, but little is known about the immune modulation to chicken farmers. This study aimed to compare the general immunity of chicken farmers with those of control subjects with non-agricultural jobs. Blood taken from the farmers and controls was subjected to plasma IgE and IgG subclass measurements. Isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were stimulated and cytokine production was measured. Indoor total and respirable dust levels and their endotoxin (LPS) and aflatoxin (AF) levels in the farms were measured. In total, 29 chicken farmers on 19 farms and 14 age- and sex-matched office workers participated. Hematological differences were not observed. The farmers tended to have higher serum IgE and IgG subclass levels with significance for IgG1. The cytokines released by PBMC from farmers indicated skewing toward Type-2 helper T-cell responses: interferon (IFN)-γ:interleukin (IL)-4 and IFNγ:IL-13 ratios were significantly lower than for control PBMC. The farms had 707.1 EU/m3 LPS in total dust, and 15.8 EU/m3 LPS in respirable dust. Farmers exhibited immune skewing towards allergic immune responses that correlated with the LPS levels on their farms. Chicken farmers may be at risk of respiratory allergies due to occupational endotoxin exposure.
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