Endotoxin aerosols

Exposure to endotoxin aerosols also produces phagocyte recruitment vivo. Endotoxins are common cotton contaminants (44). In vitro, they are directly chemotactlc, but in vivo, they may also interact with airway cells to generate chemotactlc factors. 

In favor of the endotoxin theory is the demonstration that endotoxins are active if administered by aerosol (62,64), as is the agent of byssinosis. In a rabbit model, inhalation of either endotoxin or cotton dust extract produces histological patterns consistent with chronic bronchitis (65). Also, in a variety of animal species, fever and dyspnea occur after short periods of inhalation of endotoxins, but when endotoxin solutions are Inhaled on two consecutive days, the second Inhalation is without effect. This suggests tolerance to endotoxins, and parallels the Monday syndrome, characteristic of byssinosis (62). 

Gordon T., Galdanes K. and Brosseau L. (1992) Comparison of sampling media for endotoxin contaminated aerosols. Appl. Occup. Environ. Hyg., 7, 427-436. 

Environmental airborne endotoxins are usually associated with dust particles or aqueous aerosol with a broad size distribution. Endotoxin exposure has been associated with a variety of pulmonary and systemic diseases in homes, office buildings and occupational environments. These diseases or conditions include chronic nose and throat irritation, humidifier fever, organic dust toxic syndrome, grain fever, byssinosis, asthma-like syndrome, exacerbation of asthma, and progressive irreversible airflow obstruction (Heederik et al., 1991 Michel et al., 1996 Muittari et al., 1980 Olenchock, 1990 Rylan-der, 1996 Rylander et al., 1978 Schenker et al., 1998 Schwartz et al., 1994 Schwartz et al., 1995). Recognition of the link between endotoxin exposures and these conditions has led to proposals to establish occupational health exposure limits. The Netherlands Health Council has recently published a criteria document for endotoxin that recommends a health-based occupational exposure limit of 50 EU/m for full shift, personal, inhalable dust sampling (Douwes and Heederik, 1998). 

Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) have been used extensively as a model for lethal inhaled intoxication of SEB. Efforts to develop lethal aerosolized SEB animal models in rabbits and endotoxin-primed mice are ongoing. The following pre-... 

ODTS is caused by the inhalation of large quantities of agricultural and other dusts of biological origin (Rask-Andersen 1996). Such bio-aerosols are often heavily contaminated with microorganisms that produce toxins (e.g. bacterial endotoxin, mycotoxins), which are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of the syndrome. The syndrome is also known by various other names, such as mycotoxicosis. 

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