Hazardous levels of Der p 1, endotoxin and moulds were determined in poultry houses. High prevalence of work-related symptoms and IgG antibodies to moulds was found in PW. Healthy worker effect is proposed as an explanation of low atopy markers prevalence among PW.

Haematological and biochemical analyses of blood were performed in carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) kept in small ponds. Caught and anaesthetised carp were clinically examined and blood samples were taken at regular intervals during the three years. In the first year of examinations, the haemoglobin and haematocrit values of carp fry significantly increased (P < 0.01) from June to September. The intensive growth of carp in the summer period in the second year was accompanied by adequate erythropoiesis. During hibernation haematocrit and haemoglobin significantly decreased (P < 0.05) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) increased (P < 0.01) in both scaly and mirror carp. MCHC increased also with the age and increasing body weight of the fish. Mirror carp had lower haematocrit and haemoglobin values than scaly carp (P < 0.01). Comparative haematological analyses between carp of normal and poor body condition showed that moderate anaemia appeared in those with poor body condition. The results indicate that there is marked seasonal and age-dependent variation in the values of haematocrit and haemoglobin. Pond water quality investigations indicated good environmental conditions. A 50% increase (P < 0.05) of glucose concentration was found from June to September in the blood plasma of carp in the third year, accompanied by an even more increased (80%; P < 0.01) concentration of total lipids. At the same time, considerable changes of cholesterol and total protein concentrations were not observed. The results suggest that the investigated haematological and biochemical variables could be successfully utilised in monitoring the metabolic balance and health status of fish in intensive culture.Key words: Carp (Cyprinus carpio), haematology, blood biochemical values, age, season, body weight, water qualityThe intensive methods used in aquaculture require a good correlation between the environment and the organism, and between the rearing technology and the physiological status of the fish. The water quality of the pond is an important factor as it can affect fish health. The occasional decrease of oxygen con-*

The results of a study assessing the level of airborne contamination in intensive broiler breeding facilities are presented. The content of corpuscular particulates of various origin (dust, bacteria, fungi), ammonia and carbon dioxide was determined. The investigations were conducted in a poultry house on a family farm in the area of moderate continental climate during spring 2006. The air concentration of bacteria ranged from 1.7 &times; 104 to 2.2 &times; 105 cfu/m³, of fungi from 9.8 &times; 10³ to 8.5 &times; 10⁴ cfu/m³, of dust from 1.8 to 4.8 mg/m³, and of ammonia from 4 to 27.47 ppm. Total dust and fungi concentrations measured at the end of fattening period were almost identical to the initial ones, whereas the concentrations of bacteria and ammonia showed a sinusoidal rise from the beginning to the end of fattening period. In general, the analyzed air pollutants reached relatively high levels in the mid-fattening period and also show significant differentiation between fattening periods as demonstrated by <i>t</i>-test yielding statistical significance at a level of <i>P</i> < 0.05.

Poultry houses are generally considered to be a major source emitting various particles to the environment, which greatly depends on the technology of animal keeping and housing. Besides other contaminants, dust and endotoxins are present in high concentrations in the air of poultry houses.Dust concentrations in broiler facilities range from 2 to 10 mg/m 3 (Wathes et al., 1997). Investigating the mean daily airborne dust concentrations in various animal houses in England and Netherlands, Takai et al. (1998) found them to be significantly higher in poultry fattening houses than in other animal houses. They also found the airborne dust concentration in these facilities to be influenced by animal population density, animal activity, litter type, and air humidity. Hauser and Folsch (1993) Supported by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia (Grant No. 053-0531854-1867 ABSTRACT: Poultry farming is considered to be a notable source of bioaerosols. They can be a risk factor from the aspect of some diseases and for the environment. A study was conducted to assess the effect of microclimate on the level of airborne dust and endotoxins in an intensive broiler fattening facility. The content of airborne dust, endotoxins, air temperature, relative humidity, airflow velocity, ammonia and carbon dioxide were determined. The study was conducted in a poultry house accommodating 22 000 broilers of Ross-308 breed. The measured temperature in the broiler house ranged from 22.02°C to 31.05°C, relative humidity from 49.55% to 65.45%, and airflow velocity from 0.07 m/s to 0.09 m/s. The air concentration of dust ranged from 2.0 mg/m 3 at the end of fattening period to 4.9 mg/m 3 in the mid-fattening period, and endotoxins from 6.21 EU/m 3 in the second study week to 99.40 EU/m 3 at the end of fattening period. The air concentration of ammonia ranged from 5.17 ppm at the beginning to 25.49 ppm at the end of fattening period. Air concentrations of dust and endotoxins recorded in this poultry house varied during the fattening period and depended on relative humidity and temperature as demonstrated by multiple regression at the level of P ≤ 0.05.

ABSTRACT:The study was conducted in a dairy barn and nearby environment to determine the level of air bacterial and fungi contamination. Measurements were performed in morning, noon and evening sampling periods once a week during two autumn months inside the barn and in a 25 m distant barn environment. A Merck MAS-100 air sampler was employed with different medium and incubation combinations for the capture and identification of bacteria and fungi. The results of the study showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) between the bacterial and fungi counts measured inside and outside the barn, whereby total outside bacterial count was by 97.4% to 98.0% lower, and total outside fungi count by 85.2% to 99.4% lower than the respective indoor counts in various sampling periods. In 125 analyzed colonies, gram-positive bacteria, especially those of the genus Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, were most commonly identified in the air samples from both inside and outside the barn. Gram-negative bacteria were present at a low rate, predominated by enterobacteria and by the genus Moraxella and Pseudomonas. Nine mould genera were identified in 325 fungi colonies, predominated by the genus Aspergillus, Penicillium, Rhizopus and yeasts, both in the barn and in the nearby environment.