Respiratory Health Hazards in Agriculture

Schenker, M.B.; Christiani, David C.; Cormier, Yvon; Dimich‐Ward, Helen; Doekes, Gert; Dosman, James A.; Douwes, Jeroen; Dowling, Kathryn C.; Enarson, Donald A.; Green, F; Heederik, Dick; Husman, Kaj; Kennedy, Susan; Kullman, Greg; Lacasse, Yves; Lawson, Becki; Malmberg, Per; May, John J.; McCurdy, Stephen A.; Merchant, James A.; Myers, Jonathan E.; Nieuwenhuijsen, M; Olenchock, Stephen A.; Saiki, Cathy; Schwartz, David A.; Seiber, James N.; Thorne, Peter S.; Wagnar, G; White, Neil W.; Xu, Xiping; Chan‐Yeung, Moira

doi:10.1164/ajrccm.158.supplement_1.rccm1585s1

Cited by 331 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 571 publications

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“…Farm children in Keokuk County were reported by their parents to be exposed as bystanders to farm tasks around livestock as early as 1 year of age; however, such tasks around livestock were typically done by male adolescents. Although no environmental measurements of farm task exposures were made, several studies conducted in Iowa document high levels of occupational exposures to respirable and total dust, endotoxin, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia, which have been associated with asthma, chronic bronchitis, cross-shift declines in lung function, and progressive declines in lung function over time among those working in AFOs (Reynolds et al 1996; Schenker et al 1998; Schwartz et al 1995). It is therefore probable that some swine-farm–exposed children had high exposures to endotoxin and other AFO exposures and that some of the asthma and asthma symptoms observed among these farm youth are attributable to occupational exposures.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…International studies of childhood asthma among farm children have typically measured atopy to gauge genetic predisposition to asthma but have less consistently described and measured farm environment risk factors, often using endotoxin as an indicator of exposure to infectious agents early in life. Although endotoxin is a ubiquitous exposure in agriculture, its concentration varies within and between farm types, and it is but one of many agricultural respiratory exposures children may encounter (Douwes et al 2003; Reynolds et al 1996; Schenker et al 1998). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although inflammatory airway diseases, including asthma, chronic bronchitis, organic dust toxic syndrome, and progressive airway obstruction, are now well documented among AFO workers (Schenker et al 1998), there has been much less research regarding exposures and health outcomes among AFO-exposed children and community-based residents (Reynolds et al 1997a; Salam et al 2004; Thu et al 1997; Wing and Wolf 2000). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Asthma and Farm Exposures in a Cohort of Rural Iowa Children

Merchant

Naleway

Svendsen

et al. 2005

Environ Health Perspect

136

102

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Epidemiologic studies of farm children are of international interest because farm children are less often atopic, have less allergic disease, and often have less asthma than do nonfarm children—findings consistent with the hygiene hypothesis. We studied a cohort of rural Iowa children to determine the association between farm and other environmental risk factors with four asthma outcomes: doctor-diagnosed asthma, doctor-diagnosed asthma/medication for wheeze, current wheeze, and cough with exercise. Doctor-diagnosed asthma prevalence was 12%, but at least one of these four health outcomes was found in more than a third of the cohort. Multivariable models of the four health outcomes found independent associations between male sex (three asthma outcomes), age (three asthma outcomes), a personal history of allergies (four asthma outcomes), family history of allergic disease (two asthma outcomes), premature birth (one asthma outcome), early respiratory infection (three asthma outcomes), high-risk birth (two asthma outcomes), and farm exposure to raising swine and adding antibiotics to feed (two asthma outcomes). The high prevalence of rural childhood asthma and asthma symptoms underscores the need for asthma screening programs and improved asthma diagnosis and treatment. The high prevalence of asthma health outcomes among farm children living on farms that raise swine (44.1%, p = 0.01) and raise swine and add antibiotics to feed (55.8%, p = 0.013), despite lower rates of atopy and personal histories of allergy, suggests the need for awareness and prevention measures and more population-based studies to further assess environmental and genetic determinants of asthma among farm children.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Asthma and Farm Exposures in a Cohort of Rural Iowa Children

Merchant

Naleway

Svendsen

et al. 2005

Environ Health Perspect

136

102

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“…Considerable information exists about work-place exposure to dust from CAFOs (Schenker et al 1998), and since the 1980s, endotoxins have been identified as important causal and toxic agents (Attwood et al 1987; Donham et al 1984). …”

Section: Background and Recent Developmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Endotoxins are ubiquitous and commonly present inside CAFOs, the general environment, and house dust (Douwes et al 1998, 2000; Michel et al 1991; Peterson et al 1964; Schenker et al 1998; Thorne et al 2005). Very high endotoxin exposure occurs in farming, particularly livestock farming (Kullman et al 1998; Schenker et al 1998). Elevated endotoxin levels are present in homes where children have regular contact with farm animals and in homes where pets are present (Douwes et al 2000; Thorne et al 2003; von Mutius et al 2000).…”

Section: Background and Recent Developmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health Effects of Airborne Exposures from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

Heederik

Sigsgaard

Thorne

et al. 2007

Environ Health Perspect

152

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Toxic gases, vapors, and particles are emitted from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) into the general environment. These include ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, malodorous vapors, and particles contaminated with a wide range of microorganisms. Little is known about the health risks of exposure to these agents for people living in the surrounding areas. Malodor is one of the predominant concerns, and there is evidence that psychophysiologic changes may occur as a result of exposure to malodorous compounds. There is a paucity of data regarding community adverse health effects related to low-level gas and particulate emissions. Most information comes from studies among workers in CAFO installations. Research over the last decades has shown that microbial exposures, especially endotoxin exposure, are related to deleterious respiratory health effects, of which cross-shift lung function decline and accelerated decline over time are the most pronounced effects. Studies in naïve subjects and workers have shown respiratory inflammatory responses related to the microbial load. This working group, which was part of the Conference on Environmental Health Impacts of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations: Anticipating Hazards—Searching for Solutions, concluded that there is a great need to evaluate health effects from exposures to the toxic gases, vapors, and particles emitted into the general environment by CAFOs. Research should focus not only on nuisance and odors but also on potential health effects from microbial exposures, concentrating on susceptible subgroups, especially asthmatic children and the elderly, since these exposures have been shown to be related to respiratory health effects among workers in CAFOs.

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Agricultural Hygiene

Popendorf¹,

Donham²

2001

Patty's Industrial Hygiene

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Agriculture was and in most places still is, a disciplined life style that has bred strong character and high morals in virtually every culture. But such attributes are probably more the necessities of successful agriculture than its natural benefit. Modern agriculture, as practiced by Western cultures, is not the bucolic, healthful working environment fantasized in media classics such as Laura Ingalls Wilder's Farmer Boy . Whatever it was, agriculture is changing or facing change everywhere. While some cultures (and indeed some crops within all cultures) have yet to make the transition from human to animal to mechanized power, or from chemical to genetically engineered tools, where these transitions have occurred, production per farmer has increased. Unfortunately, so too have health and safety stresses upon farmers. Twenty years ago agriculture was the third most hazardous occupation. Although conditions within general industry improved during the intervening years, agriculture has been exempt of mandated safety and health services. Today agriculture is the most hazardous occupational group in the United States. In fact, modern farm life has recently been described as “A Harvest of Harm.” This chapter hopes to address the needs and interests of industrial hygienists, as opposed to other reviews of agricultural hazards. It first describes the dilemma of agriculture as both an industry and as a way of life. Selected health hazards that are either characteristic of or unique to agriculture are then reviewed. A topical overview of hazardous processes, physical, biological and chemical agents, and diseases of concern in agriculture is given. The selected topics have been organized into acute and cumulative trauma, respiratory hazards, pesticides, veterinary chemicals, zoonoses, dermatoses, physical hazards, cancer, and mental stresses. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how the traditional industrial hygiene components of anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control might be applied to agriculture, potential policies to stimulate industrial hygiene and safety services on the farm and ranch, and approaches employed in other countries to deliver such services. While the problems discussed are world wide, this chapter will focus on U.S. agriculture.

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Respiratory Health Hazards in Agriculture

Cited by 331 publications

References 571 publications

Asthma and Farm Exposures in a Cohort of Rural Iowa Children

Asthma and Farm Exposures in a Cohort of Rural Iowa Children

Health Effects of Airborne Exposures from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

Agricultural Hygiene

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