Exposure to field vs. storage wheat dust: different consequences on respiratory symptoms and immune response among grain workers

Abstract

The clinical picture of workers exposed to field or storage wheat dust differed. The systematic characterization of the aerosol microbial profile may help to understand the reasons for those differences.

Major Differences in the Diversity of Mycobiomes Associated with Wheat Processing and Domestic Environments: Significant Findings from High-Throughput Sequencing of Fungal Barcode ITS1

“…The presence in larger quantities of some Cryptococcus species in grain workers’ environment than in cattle raisers’ one, can also make a difference in the clinical picture of those workers. Indeed, a distinct immune response against Cryptococcus of grain workers and cattle raisers has previously been described [1]. However, too few data are available to estimate the importance of exposure to different Cryptococcus species and the development of respiratory pathology.…”

“…A longitudinal study was conducted on workers occupationally exposed to wheat dust (terminal elevator operators, harvesters, grain farmers and cattle raisers) and workers not occupationally exposed to it. The inclusion of the 142 participants to the overall protocol, the assessment of their exposure to bioaerosols, in particular to those associated to wheat dust, as well as the consequences of this exposure on respiratory symptoms and immune response, have been described in detail elsewhere [1,2]. Briefly, all participants were visited twice, at a six month interval, between August 2012 and June 2013.…”

“…Occupational exposure to wheat dust has been shown to be associated with both acute and chronic effects on the airways of operators handling grain or straw [1,2]. However, the aetiology of these effects is not completely understood, mainly due to the complexity and variety of potentially causative agents within grain dust.…”

“…Harvesters and TEOs perform high exposure activities daily during wheat-harvesting season—from the beginning of July to the end of August in the Vaud region—when they unload grain and clean the installations, but the remainder of the year they have limited or no contact with transformed wheat [1]. In contrast, cattle raisers are exposed to wheat dust year round during the handling of stored wheat straw bales and the spreading of this straw as bedding for cows [1,3]. However this activity is more frequent from October to April than from April to October [2].…”

“…Interestingly, a significant difference has been observed in the clinical picture of the workers handling those two types of organic dust. The level of a recent exposure to field wheat dust was associated with an increased prevalence of five respiratory symptoms (cough, dyspnea, nasal congestion, scratchy throat, systemic symptoms) while that to stored wheat dust was only associated with an increased prevalence in coughing [1].…”