Effects of fungal contamination on respiratory symptoms of poultry workers

• Author(s): Faísca, Vanessa Mateus ; Carolino, Elisabete ; Sabino, Raquel ; Veríssimo, C. ; Viegas, Carla
• Date: 2012
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/2484
• Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
• Subject(s): Environmental health; Occupational health; Fungal contamination; Poultry; Fungi; Asthma; Rhinitis
• Document Type: Conference Object
• Language: English

Description

Exposure to certain fungi (molds) can cause human illness by 3 specific mechanisms: generation of a harmful immune response, direct infection by the organism or/and toxic-irritant effects from mold byproducts. Moulds are considered central elements in daily exposure of poultry workers and can be the cause of an increased risk of occupational respiratory diseases, like allergic and non-allergic rhinitis and asthma.