Moldy environments and toxic pneumonitis

Exposure to organic dusts might cause an acute reaction with influenza like symptoms (toxic pneumonitis). Although it is well known that endotoxin, which is often present in organic dusts, may cause this reaction, there is no information about fungal cell wall agents as causative agents. The capacit...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Toxicology and industrial health 2008-04, Vol.24 (3), p.177-180
Main Authors: Rylander, R, Fogelmark, B, Ewaldsson, B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administration, Inhalation
Aerosols
Animals
Cell Wall - chemistry
Cell Wall - immunology
Cytokines
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic
Dust
Endotoxins - toxicity
Environmental health
Fungi
Glucans - immunology
Glucans - toxicity
Guinea Pigs
Inflammation
Inflammation - chemically induced
Inflammation - microbiology
Influenza
Inhalation Exposure - adverse effects
Lavage
Lipopolysaccharides - toxicity
Lymphocytes
Medical research
Mold
Neutrophils
Neutrophils - immunology
Pneumonia - chemically induced
Pneumonia - immunology
Pneumonia - microbiology
Toxicology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Exposure to organic dusts might cause an acute reaction with influenza like symptoms (toxic pneumonitis). Although it is well known that endotoxin, which is often present in organic dusts, may cause this reaction, there is no information about fungal cell wall agents as causative agents. The capacity of different fungal cell wall agents to induce an acute inflammation was evaluated in animal inhalation experiments. Guinea pigs were exposed to an aerosol of endotoxin, molds, and different fungal cell wall agents (FCWA) in a continuous flow exposure chamber, and the number of free lung cells was determined 24 h thereafter. Endotoxin caused a dose-dependent increase in the number of neutrophils and macrophages. None of the other agents tested caused a neutrophil response. The results suggest that toxic pneumonitis in environments with organic dusts is caused by the presence of inhaled endotoxin. Although no effect from FCWA was found, it is well known that this inhalation under chronic conditions will cause lung disease, particularly granulomatous pneumonitis.
ISSN:0748-2337
1477-0393
DOI:10.1177/0748233708093356