Exposure to airborne Rat n 1 and endotoxin is higher during cleaning and feeding tasks than during any other task, we feel that a major source of both is contaminated bedding that becomes airborne during disturbance.

Most symptomatic workers were not sensitized to rat allergen; but no significant relation between rat-related symptoms and endotoxin levels was found. This suggests that more studies are needed to determine causes other than rat allergens or endotoxins that may be responsible for symptoms in rat-exposed workers.

No abstract