Organic dust toxic syndrome

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). 

C. Organic dust toxic syndrome presents as a flu-like illness with an onset 4 to 8 hours after a heavy exposure (such as shoveling compost). Symptoms resolve without treatment over 24 hours. 

Seifert SA, Von Essen S, Jacobitz K, et al. Organic dust toxic syndrome a review. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2003 41(2) 185-193. 

Organic dust Organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS)... 

Braun SR et al. (1979) Farmer s lung disease long-term clinical and physiologic outcome. Am Rev Respir Dis 119(2) 185-191 Brinton WT et al. (1987) An outbreak of organic dust toxic syndrome in a college fraternity. JAMA. 258(9) 1210-1212 Broder I et al. (1979) Comparison of respiratory variables in grain elevator workers and civic outside workers of Thunder Bay, Canada. Am Rev Respir Dis 119(2) 193-203 Brooks AM et al. (2001) Impact of low birth weight on early childhood asthma in the United States. Arch Pediatr Ado-lesc Med 155(3) 401-406... 

Emanuel DA, Marx JJ, Ault BJ (1989) Organic dust toxic syndrome (pulmonary mycotoxicosis) - a review of the experience in central Wisconsin. In Dosman JA and Cockcroft DW (eds) Principles of health and safety in agriculture. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 72-75 Fink JN et al. (1971) Precipitins and the diagnosis of a hypersensitivity pneumonitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 48(3) 179-181... 

Grant IW et al. (1972) Prevalence of farmer s lung in Scotland a pilot survey. BMJ l(799) 530-534 Gregory PH and Lacey ME (1963) Mycological examination of dust from mouldy hay associated with farmer s lung disease.) Gen Microbiol 30 75-88 Griffiths-Johnson DA, Ryan LK, Karol MH (1991) Development of an animal model for organic dust toxic syndrome. Inhalation Toxicol 3 405-417... 

Lecours R, Laviolette M, Cormier Y (1986) Bronchoalveolar lavage in pulmonary mycotoxicosis (organic dust toxic syndrome). Thorax 41(12) 924-926 Lee K et al. (2004) Personal exposures to inorganic and organic dust in manual harvest of California citrus and table grapes.) Occup Environ Hyg 1(8) 505-514 Lieberman J (1975) Elevation of serum angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) level in sarcoidosis. Am J Med 59(3) 365-372... 

Malmberg P et al (1988) Incidence of organic dust toxic syndrome and allergic alveolitis in Swedish farmers. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol 87(l) 47-54 Malmberg P, Rask-Andersen A, Rosenhall L (1993) Exposure to microorganisms associated with allergic alveolitis and febrile reactions to mold dust in farmers. Chest 103(4) 1202-1209... 

Malmberg P and Rask-Andersen A (1993) Organic dust toxic syndrome. Semin Respir Med 14 38-48... 

May JJ et al. (1990) Organic dust toxic syndrome a follow-up study. Am J Ind Med 17(1) 111-113 McCormick JR et al. (1981) Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme levels in patients with pigeon-breeder s disease. Chest 80(4) 431-433... 

Seal RM et al. (1968) The pathology of the acute and chronic stages of farmer s lung. Thorax 23(5) 469-489 Seifert SA et al. (2003) Organic dust toxic syndrome a review. 

Yoshida K, Ando M, Araki S (1989) Acute pulmonary edema in a storehouse of moldy oranges a severe case of the organic dust toxic syndrome. Arch Environ Health 44(6) 382-384... 

Inhalation fever is the name given to cover a group of flu-like clinical syndromes, such as metal fume fever, polymer fume fever and the organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS) (Rask-Andersen 1992). The term inhalation fever is of relatively recent creation, and for a while it competed with the term toxic alveolitis . There are arguments in favour of both terms, because the former emphasizes the clinical presentation and relatively benign nature of the condition, whereas the latter indicates the (presumed) main site... 

---