Microbial Air Contamination in Indoor and Outdoor Environment of Pig Farms
Keywords:
bacteria, fungi, microbial air contamination, pig farmsAbstract
Ensuring a good air quality in pig farms is important for the health of animals and human workers. The aim of this study was the assessment of the microbiological quality of the air inside the pig houses and outside of these. The study was accomplished in two pig-fattening farms in Cluj County. The microbiological air quality was assessed in the cold and warm season, by determination of the total counts of mesophilic bacteria, staphylococci, streptococci, gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The bacterial and fungal counts varied in the air of the investigated farms. In relation to the season the mean counts of bacteria and fungi were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the cold season. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were found between the values of the parameters determined from the indoor air and those obtained outside, from a distance of 5 m from the pig houses. The numbers of the bacteria and fungi in the outdoor air lowered as the distance from the farms increased, the differences being significant at 25 and 50 m (P < 0.05). The results of the study show a high bacterial contamination of the indoor and outdoor air of the pig farms.
References
Donham, K. J., Merchant, J. A., Lassie, D., Popendorf, W. J., and Burmeister, L. F., Preventing respiratory disease in swine confinement workers: intervention through applied epidemiology, education and consultation, American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 1990, 18, 241–261
Wathes, C. M., Air and surface hygiene. In: Livestock Housing. C. M. Wathes, D. R. Charles (eds), CAB International, Wallingford, USA, 1994, pp. 123-148
Duchaine, C., Grimard, Y., and Cormier, Y., Influence of building maintenance, environmental factors, and seasons on airborne contaminants of swine confinement buildings, American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal, 2000, 61(1), 56–63
Eduard, W., Exposure to Non-Infectious Microorganisms and Endotoxins in Agriculture, Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 1997, 4, 179-186
Gustafsson, G., Investigations of factors Affecting Air Pollutants in Animal Houses, Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 1997, 4(2), 203-215
Lange, J. L., Thorne, P. S., and Kullman, G. J., Determinants of culturable bioaerosol concentrations in dairy barns, Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 1997, 4, 187-194
Yao, H. Q., Choi, H. L., Lee, J. H., Suresh, A., and Zhu, K., Effect of microclimate on particulate matter, airborne bacteria,and odorous compounds in swine nursery houses, Journal of Animal Science, 2010, 88, 3707-3714
Banhazi, T. M., Seedorf, J., Rutley, D. L., and Pitchford, W. S., Identification of Risk Factors for Sub‐Optimal Housing Conditions in Australian Piggeries: Part 2. Airborne Pollutants, Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 2008, 14(1), 21-39
Feller, W., An introduction to the probability theory and its application, John Wiley & Sons Inc. New York, 1950
Clark, S., Rylander, R., and Larsson, L., Airborne bacteria, endotoxin and fungi in dust in poultry and swine confinement buildings, American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal, 1983, 44(7), 537–541
Donham, K. J., Association of environmental air contaminants with disease and productivity, American Journal of Veterinary Research, 1991, 52, 1723-1730
Chang, C. W., Chung, H., Huang, C. F., and Su, H. J. J., Exposure of workers to airborne microorganisms in open air swine houses, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2001, 67,155-161
Kim, K. Y., Ko, H. J., Kim, H. T., Kim, C. N., and Kim, Y. S., Assessment of airborne bacteria and fungi in pig buildings in Korea, Biosystems Engineering, 2008, 99, 565–572
Müller, W., Weiser, P., Dust and microbial emissions from animal production. The influence of dust and airborne bacteria on the health of man and livestock. In: Animal production and environmental health. D. Strauch, Ed. Elsevier, 1987, New York, pp. 81-84
Kiekhaefer, M. S., Donham, K. J., Whitten, P., and Thorne, P. S., Cross seasonal studies of airborne microbial populations and environment in swine buildings: implications for worker and animal health, Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 1995, 2, 37-44
Köfer, F., Awad-Masalmeh, M., Thiemann, G., Der Einfluß von Haltung, Management und Stallklima auf die Lungenveränderungen bei Schweinen, Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr, 1993, 100, 319-322
Hartung, J., Emissions of airborne substances from stalls of domestic animals, Pneumologie, 1992, 46, 196-202
Zucker, B. A., Trojan, S., and Müller, W., Airborne gram-negative bacteria flora in animal houses, Journal of Veterinary Medicine B, 2000, 47, 37-46
Seedorf, J., Hartung, J., Schroder, M., Linkert, K. H., Phillips, V. R., Holden, M. R., Sneath, R. W., Short, J. L., White, R. P., Pederson, S., Takai, H., Johnsen, J. O., Metz, J. H. M., Koerkamp, P. W. G., Uenk, G. H., and Wathes, C. M., Concentrations and emissions of airborne endotoxins and microorganisms in livestock buildings in Norther Europe, Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research,1998, 70, 97–109
Karwowska, E., Microbiological Air Contamination in Farming Environment, Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 2005, 14(4), 445-449.