How Working Tasks Influence Biocontamination in an Animal Facility

Abstract

The exposure to biocontaminants in animal facilities represents a risk for developing infectious, allergic and toxic diseases. The aim of this study was to determine what factors could be associated with a high level of exposure to biological agents through the measure and characterization of airborne fungi, bacteria, endotoxin, (1,3)-β-d-glucan and animal allergens. Airborne microorganisms were collected with an air sampler and identified by microscopic and biochemical methods. Endotoxin, (1,3)-β-d-glucan, Mus m 1, Rat n 1, Can f 1, Fel d 1, Equ c 4 allergens were detected on inhalable dust samples by Kinetic LAL, Glucatell, and ELISA assays, respectively. Our data evidenced that changing cages is a determinant factor in increasing the concentration of the airborne biocontaminants; the preparation of bedding and distribution of feed, performed in the storage area, is another critical working task in terms of exposure to endotoxins (210.7 EU/m3) and (1,3)-β-d-glucans (4.3 ng/m3). The highest concentration of Mus m 1 allergen (61.5 ng/m3) was observed in the dirty washing area. The detection of expositive peaks at risk of sensitization (>2 μg/g) by Fel d 1 in animal rooms shows passive transport by operators themselves, highlighting their role as vehicle between occupational and living environments.

Work Category Affects the Exposure to Allergens and Endotoxins in an Animal Facility Laboratory in Italy: A Personal Air Monitoring Study

“…This finding is largely expected and confirms the result of our previous study in which different activities were compared. Within that study, it was shown that changing cages, performed in animal rooms, and preparation of bedding and distribution of feed, performed in the storage area, are determinant factors in increasing the concentration of the airborne biocontaminants [24]. In particular, peaks of endotoxin (21.7 ng/m 3 ) were found in the storage area, while the highest concentration of the Mus m 1 allergen (61.5 ng/m 3 ) was detected in the dirty washing area.…”

“…This could be due to the fact that, among the various activities carried out by the animal attendants, there are those performed in the storage area, which was found by the authors to be the environment most contaminated by this bio-contaminant. Bedding material, in fact, could be a significant source of accumulation and release of bacterial endotoxins [4,24,34]. Even if average doses are below the health-based recommended occupational exposure limit proposed by the Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Safety (DECOS, 90 EU/m 3 corresponding to about 9 ng/m 3 ), two values above the limit were measured for two animal attendants (16.29 ng/m 3 and 9.12 ng/m 3 ), confirming that this work category has the highest risk of exposure to these bio-contaminants.…”

“…Other allergens, such as Can f 1, Fel d 1 and Equ c 4, even if they are not related to activity in the animal facility under investigation, may be present in these environments due to the passive transport from life to occupational settings. In fact, a critical issue is the spread of endotoxin and allergens between different environments and tasks characterizing animal facilities and between work and life [23][24][25][26]. As a consequence, environmental monitoring can be useful to distinguish the animal allergens, deriving from the species in the animal facilities, from the domestic species [27].…”

“…This study provides a more detailed analysis than that of a previous study [24] whose main objective was to determine which factors (working tasks, changing cages frequency and animal strains) were associated with the greatest level of exposure to biological agents of the personnel working with rodents through environmental monitoring in animal rooms and washing and storage areas. In relation to working tasks, our data showed that (1) changing cages is a determinant factor in increasing the concentration of the airborne bio-contaminants, (2) the preparation of bedding and distribution of feed is another critical working task in terms of exposure to endotoxins, (3) the dirty washing area presents the highest concentration of Mus m 1 allergen.…”

Special Issue on Indoor Air Quality

“…The second one, 'Application of Airborne Microorganism Indexes in Offices, Gyms, and Libraries' authored by Grisoli P. et al [15] quantified the levels of microorganisms present in the air in different places such as offices, gyms, and libraries. The third one, 'How Working Tasks Influence Biocontamination in an Animal Facility' authored by Marcelloni M. et al [16] aimed to determine what factors could be associated with a high level of exposure to biological agents in an animal facility, through the measuring and characterization of airborne fungi, bacteria, endotoxin, (1,3)-β-d-glucan and animal allergens.…”