Abstract
Waste collectors may suffer from acute and chronic health effects caused by organic dust (bioaerosols). Pathophysiological symptoms may originate either from allergic or irritative pathomechanisms, but an explicit distinction of the etiology is often complicated although crucial for proper risk assessment and workplace prevention. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 69 male waste collectors from the Ruhr area in Germany underwent a customized testing protocol including a modified questionnaire, basic clinical examination, spirometry, and immunologic parameters. Subjects were classified according to their work tasks into loaders (n = 27), floaters (n = 29), and drivers (n = 13). We found that a high percentage of the workers had complaints (eyes 29.0 %, nose 39.1 %, and cough 34.8 %) which were strongly work-related. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that duration of employment in waste collection (per 10 years) was associated with an increased prevalence of cough (OR = 1.64, 95 %CI 0.81; 3.35) and chronic bronchitis (OR = 2.18, 95 %CI 0.80; 5.92). An association between rhinitis and cough (OR = 2.62, 95 %CI 0.94; 7.27) was found, which supports the association between the prevalence of upper and lower airway disease. Furthermore, when adjusting for smoking status, atopic subjects suffered more frequently from irritation of the lower airways as indicated by cough (OR = 2.71, 95 %CI 0.91; 8.08). In conclusion, the study demonstrates associations between the prevalence of upper and lower airway disease in waste collectors. Notably, an underlying allergic disease in waste collectors could be suspected more commonly than previously reported.
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Acknowledgements
We wish to appreciate Melanie Ulbrich for constantly conscientious and precise technical assistance. We also acknowledge all waste collectors for participating in this study. A special thank goes to Neil Wiley for proofreading the paper in terms of syntax, orthography, and diction.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest in relation to this article according to the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.
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Schantora, A.L. et al. (2014). Prevalence of Work-Related Rhino-Conjunctivitis and Respiratory Symptoms Among Domestic Waste Collectors. In: Pokorski, M. (eds) Environment Exposure to Pollutants. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology(), vol 834. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2014_71
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2014_71
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