Harmful biological agents – employees’ health protection
Rafał L. Górny, Agata Stobnicka
Harmful biological agents (HBA) are serious, however quite frequently underestimated, contaminants of occupational settings. A lack of routine control of hygienic quality in working environment regarding the presence of biological agents together with a low awareness of contamination problems may create a real and considerable danger for workers’ health. In this paper definition of HMA is given, widespread of biohazards in the environment is discussed, role of bioaerosols as the most common way if transport is described, sources of HMA in working environment are characterized and legal measures applied in control, exposure and risk assessments are presented. The problems of current and future scientific and technical challenges related to control and prevention of adverse health outcomes caused by HMA in exposed individuals in both occupational and non-occupational environments are also discussed in this paper.
Occupational diseases in Poland triggered off by harmful biological agents
Irena Szadkowska-Stańczyk, Anna Kozajda
The list of occupational diseases contains 8 disease groups caused by biological agents (allergic and infectious or parasitic diseases). A slightly downward trend was recorded in the number of allergic diseases in 2004-2012 (in 2012 about 3.7%). Among the diseases caused by biological agents and recognized as occupational, infectious and parasitic diseases are the dominant group (30%). In the eighties and nineties, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and brucellosis were the dominant, while now tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, are the leaders, followed by hepatitis and tuberculosis.
Biological hazards associated with livestock production
Irena Szadkowska-Stańczyk, Anna Kozajda
Working in the animal production sector is associated with daily exposure to a variety of harmful biological agents including bacteria, fungi, their fragments and metabolites, viruses, allergens and toxins of plant and animal origin. All these agents may cause zoonoses (e. g. avian influenza, borreliosis) as well as allergic and immunotoxic diseases (e.g. allergic alveolitis, organic dust toxic syndrome) in exposed individuals. To decrease a risk of such adverse health outcomes, both a proper prevention and control measures should be introduced by employers in each occupational environment.
Macroproblem with microworld – disinfection in the work environment
Bogumił Brycki
The microbial safety of the work environment requires the reduction of microorganism population to the level with no risk. An effective disinfection of an air, surfaces and the personal protective equipments can be done with legal microbiocides. The antimicrobial activity of chemicals depends on many factors; the most important are concentrations and time of interaction. To get the best results of the decontamination processes, the proper choice of microbiocides and application methods must be done.
Prevention of tick-borne diseases
Jacek Dutkiewicz, Ewa Cisak, Angelina Wójcik-Fatla, Violetta Zając, Jacek Sroka
Tick-borne diseases are infectious diseases transmitted by small arachnids called ticks (Ixodida). In Poland, these diseases are caused by at least five species (or groups of species) of microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, protozoa). Of which, the most important is the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi causing Lyme borreliosis, which is the frequent cause of occupational diseases in the forestry and agricultural workers.
The main directions of the prevention of tick-borne diseases include: vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis, avoiding of the consumption of raw milk, use of the proper clothing during work in the forest, inspection of the body and taking shower after coming from forest, quick and proper removing of ticks adhered to body, use of repellents, health education, providing medical care for endangered forestry and agricultural workers, preventive actions pursued by the management of the forest service, reduction of the tick number in natural environment.
Microbiological contamination of building air conditioning systems
Małgorzata Gołofit-Szymczak, Marcin Cyprowski, Anna Ławniczek-Wałczyk, Agata Stobnicka, Rafał L. Górny
Air conditioning systems are technical solution for improvement of indoor air quality. With the passage of time, ventilation systems may be contaminated and become one of the most active emission sources of microbial contaminants. In new buildings as well as in those already exploited for many years, a detailed monitoring of air conditioning systems including periodic cleaning and prospective disinfection should be carried out as an immanent part of technical performance and hygienic purity checking.
Virus infections of the respiratory system in the occupational environment of healthcare employees
Adriana Roży, Paulina Jaguś, Joanna Chorostowska-Wynimko
Respiratory viral infections pose a significant health and economic burden all over the world. Due to their easy transmission, respiratory viruses are highly infective, particularly in the larger human groupings, such as medical and educational facilities, larger industrial units and public transportation. Therefore, respective professional groups are regarded as the high risk population. In those groups, in particular in medical staff, the premeditated proactive flu prophylaxis by means of regular immunization is strongly advised. As a secondary prophylaxis, the strict isolation of infected patients must be introduced in health care facilities during flu season or epidemic. The unexceptionally low flu vaccination rate in Poland, both in general population and medical staff is of particular concern as a potential serious treat for society’s state of health but also country economy.
Koch's bacillus as a factor to health risk
Wojciech Remiszewski, Tomasz Łupina, Janusz Milanowski
The risk of tuberculosis infection in different occupational groups is showed in this paper. The most exposed to this factor are employees broadly defined as health care workers.
Markers of microbial contamination of the work environment at the municipal waste management
Marcin Cyprowski, Anna Ławniczek-Wałczyk, Małgorzata Gołofit-Szymczak, Agata Stobnicka, Rafał L. Górny
The paper discusses the problem of exposure to endotoxins, peptidoglycans and (1→3)-β-D-glucans at workplaces in municipal waste management. All these immunoreactive compounds are considered to be markers of microbial contamination in working environment. The article presents brief characteristics of these compounds, their origin, methods of dissemination in the environment, recommended analytical methods used for their qualitative and quantitative assessment. Analysis of the scientific literature showed that their concentration ranges in occupational environment varies substantially depending on the type of technological processes. The highest concentrations of endotoxins and (1→3)-β-D-glucans are usually observed during the collection and composting of municipal waste, i.e. are related to the tasks with a high emission of organic dust. The data on exposure to peptidoglycans are still extremely scarce. The most prevalent health effects of exposure to endotoxins, peptidoglycans and (1→3)-β-D-glucans as well as preventive measures applied to protect workers’ health are also discussed in the paper.
Słowa kluczowe: zagospodarowanie odpadów, zanieczyszczenie mikrobiologiczne, endotoksyny, peptydoglikany, (1→3)-β-D-glukany