Occupational exposure to toxigenic Aspergillus versicolor in Portuguese swines

• Author(s): Viegas, Carla ; Sabino, Raquel ; Viegas, Susana ; Veríssimo, Cristina
• Date: 2013
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/2503
• Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
• Subject(s): Environmental health; Occupational health; Fungal contamination; Aspergillus versicolor; Swinery; Portugal
• Document Type: Conference Object
• Language: English

Description

Biological factors associated with airbome dust are the most important hazards in pig buildings and include allergenic and/or toxic compounds, as well as infectious agents such as fungi and their metabolites, like mycotoxins. Inhalation of such agents can be a potential occupationai treat. Exposure of workers from swine confinement buildings to respiratory hazards has been reported elsewhere in Europe, Asia and America. Analogous data has not been reported for Portugal and this omission has hindered the development of policies in the area of occupational health and farm safety. Aspergilius versicolor is known as being the major producer of the hepatotoxic and carcinogenic mycotoxin sterigmatocystin. The toxicity of this mycotoxin is manifested primarily in liver and kidney. This study aimed to determine occupational exposure treat due to fungal contamination caused by A. versicolor in seven Portuguese swine.