Airborne bacteria, endotoxin and fungi in dust in poultry and swine confinement buildings.

Airborne dust in swine and poultry confinements was analyzed to determine concentrations of total and gram-negative bacteria, total fungi, Aspergillus fumigatus and endotoxin. Airborne concentrations of total and gram-negative bacteria in swine and confinement units have been found to be as high as, or higher, than those found in other environments, such as wastewater treatment plants and cotton card rooms, where microbiologically contaminated organic dusts were present. Airborne endotoxin concentrations in the swine units (average 0.12 micrograms/m3) and poultry units (average 0.31 micrograms/m3) were in the range where clinical effects have occurred in other populations. Therefore, health studies of poultry and swine confinement workers with concurrent estimation of the individual daily exposure dose are warranted.