Clara cell protein and surfactant protein�B in garbage collectors and in wastewater workers exposed to bioaerosols

Abstract

Objectives: Inhalation of bioaerosols has been hypothesised to cause ''toxic pneumonitis'' that should increase lung epithelial permeability at the bronchioloalveolar level. Serum Clara cell protein (CC16) and serum surfactant protein B (SPB) have been proposed as sensitive markers of lung epithelial injury. This study was aimed at looking for increased lung epithelial permeability by determining CC16 and SPB in workers exposed to bioaerosols from wastewater or garbage. Methods: Subjects (778 wastewater, garbage and control workers; participation 61%) underwent a medical examination, lung function tests [American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria], and determination of CC16 and SPB. Symptoms of endotoxin exposure and several potential confounders (age, gender, smoking, kidney function, obesity) were looked for. Results were examined with multiple linear or logistic regression. Results: Exposure to bioaerosols increased CC16 concentration in the wastewater workers. No effect of exposure on SPB was found. No clue to work-related respiratory diseases was found. Conclusions: The increase in CC16 in serum supports the hypothesis that bioaerosols cause subclinical ''toxic pneumonitis'', even at low exposure.

Surfactant protein-D and exposure to bioaerosols in wastewater and garbage workers

“…All workers were informed about the purposes of the risk assessment and gave written consent. A detailed description of population and methods has been given previously with the results of the SP-A, SP-B, and CC16 measurements (Steiner et al 2005;Widmeier et al 2007), so only the main aspects will be brieXy summarized here.…”

“…Determinations of serum creatinine (S-creatinine), CC16, SP-B, and SPA have been described elsewhere (Steiner et al 2005;Widmeier et al 2007). …”

“…The tasks of garbage collectors, wastewater workers, and control subjects have been described previously (Steiner et al 2005). In wastewater workers, speciWc tasks suspected to represent peak exposures were spray removal from basins, tank walls, grids, or rakes.…”

Respiratory Disorders Associated with Occupational Inhalational Exposure to Bioaerosolsamong Wastewater Treatment Workers of Petrochemical Complexes

“…15 This finding was in accord to the potential of bio-aerosol to produce bronchial and respiratory tract hyper-responsiveness and allergic reactions mentioned earlier. 12,19,20 Conflicts of Interest: None declared.…”

The Association between the Anti-inflammatory Protein CC10 and Smoking Status among Participants in a Chemoprevention Trial

“…For instance, CC10 knock-out mice develop severe inflammation and subsequent pulmonary fibrosis at very low doses of bleomycin that do not cause fibrosis in wild-type littermates (12). Because measurable CC10 levels vary significantly when the lung is exposed to various insults, such as ambient ozone, nitrogen trichloride, silica, smoke from fires, and bioaerosols from garbage and waste water, CC10 has been hypothesized to be a sensitive marker of bronchial injury (11,(13)(14)(15)(16)(17).…”