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Pulmonary responses after wood chip mulch exposure
S F Wintermeyer1, W G Kuschner, H Wong
1Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California San Francisco 94143-0924, USA.
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
|April 1, 1997
Summary
Exposure to organic dusts like wood chip mulch can trigger flu-like symptoms, a condition known as Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome (ODTS). This study found that even brief exposure increased inflammatory markers in the lungs, suggesting a role for cytokines in ODTS.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Toxicology
Background:
- Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome (ODTS) is an acute, flu-like illness following inhalation of organic dusts.
- The specific pulmonary inflammatory responses to low-level, short-term wood chip mulch exposure remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate inflammatory pulmonary responses after brief, low-level wood chip mulch exposure.
- To determine if these responses are associated with symptoms of ODTS.
Main Methods:
- Six volunteers were exposed to wood chip mulch dust.
- Pulmonary function tests and peripheral blood counts were assessed pre- and post-exposure.
- Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed post-exposure to measure cell counts, cytokines (IL-8, IL-6, TNF-alpha), and protein concentrations.
Main Results:
- Three of six subjects developed ODTS-like symptoms.
- No significant changes in pulmonary function tests were observed.
- BAL analysis revealed elevated neutrophil percentages and increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines, particularly interleukin-8, in symptomatic subjects compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Brief exposure to wood chip mulch dust can induce pulmonary inflammation characterized by increased neutrophils and cytokines in susceptible individuals.
- These findings support the hypothesis that inflammatory cytokine networking in the lungs plays a role in mediating Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome.