A brief report of gram-negative bacterial endotoxin levels in airborne and settled dusts in animal confinement buildings.

Gram-negative bacterial endotoxins, implicated in adverse worker health responses, were found in settled and airborne dust samples obtained from poultry and swine confinement units. Results of the Limulus amebocyte lysate gel test found endotoxin levels in dust samples ranged from 4.5 to 47.7 micrograms of FDA Klebsiella endotoxin equivalents/gm. Differences in endotoxin levels between dust samples may have been due to variables in time, geographic locations, confined animals, confinement buildings and equipment, and methods of sample collection. Animal confinement workers are potentially exposed to large amounts of gram-negative bacterial endotoxins; however, the respiratory health effects of such exposures to animal confinement workers have yet to be determined.