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Assessment of Nasal Swab Samples, Environmental Microbiological Analyses and Respiratory Function Tests of Bakery Workers Working Under Modern Conditions: A Brief Report

Halim Isever

Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Istanbul, Turkey

Bilge Hapçiolu

Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Istanbul, Turkey

Kürat Özdilli

Haliç University, Health Institute, Istanbul, Turkey

Emine Koçyiit

Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey

Hande Kaymakçalan

Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Istanbul, Turkey

Yildiz Yeenolu

Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Istanbul, Turkey

Özmen Öztürk

Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Acibadem Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

Süheyla Akoç

Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Istanbul, Turkey

Asya Banu Topuzolua

Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Istanbul, Turkey

Nazan Önolu

Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Istanbul, Turkey

Erol Iik

Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Istanbul, Turkey

Serdar Susever

Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Istanbul, Turkey

Berrin Çalak

Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Istanbul, Turkey

Studies have shown that bakery workers may develop asthma and rhinitis as a result of their occupation and approximately 30% of bakery workers and wheat farmers will become sensitised. This ratio can change depending on the exposure time and a history of atopy. The present study has looked at the relationship between nasal and environmental flora and pulmonary function in such workers to see if it can explain the occurrence of asthma and rhinitis. Workers from three of the largest bakery companies in Istanbul were recruited, a total of 372 people; 223 bakery workers and 149 administrative employees of the same companies as a control group. Face to face interviews were conducted to determine asthma status and all were given physical examinations with nasal flora samples collected by sterile swabs. Aerial samples were taken from administrative and product departments for microscopic examination. Compared to administrative staff, bakery workers had insignificantly more asthma symptoms (p> 0.05).C. albicanswas isolated from four (1.9%) nasal samples from bakery workers and one (0.7%) from the control group (p> 0.05). A statistically significant level of wheeze (X²= 4.65, p= 0.03, OR= 2.32 95% CI (1.06–5.07)), suggesting bronchial obstruction, was detected in 28 (13.1%) bakery workers and in nine people (6.1%) from the control group. Looking at smoking and non-smoking groups, a significant decrease was observed for PEF (%) in the smokers and FEV1/FVC (%) in the non-smokers. These results suggest that pulmonary function of bakery workers is slightly impaired even with modern engineering controls.

Key Words: Bakery workers • Lung function • Environmental microbiology • FVC • FEV1 • FEF25–75 • PEF

Indoor and Built Environment, Vol. 15, No. 2, 197-202 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1420326X06063874


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