Assessment of the impact of long exposure to cotton dust on respiratory health of workers in Minia city, Egypt

Tahany Mahmoud  Refaat and Emad Girgis Kamel*

Assistant Professors of Public Health and Occupational Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Egypt

*Corresponding Author E-mail: emadegypt3@hotmail.com; Mobile: 002-01222808098

Accepted 26 March, 2015

Abstract

Cotton dust, when breathed in, irritates the lungs and that may leads to byssinosis. To study the pulmonary functions among the exposed workers in different areas in spin factory in Minia city, Egypt and to identify the type and concentration of aerosol particles in the working areas as well as in the sputum culture. This cross sectional descriptive study was carried out on 128 workers who worked 5 years or more in the factory. Full history, clinical and radiological examinations, pulmonary function studies and sputum culture were done for all workers. Measurements of concentration of bacteria and fungi were carried out in two main working areas representing the high and the low exposure. Exposure to cotton dust for 5 years or more was associated with statistically significant increase in prevalence of chronic cough and dyspnea as well as decline in all pulmonary tests among high exposed workers compared to low exposed workers. Mean concentration of total collected fungi was 1215 cfu/m³ at the high exposed area and 396 cfu/m³ at the low exposed area. Aspergillus Nieger represented the most dominant fungal species at both areas. Gram –ve bacteria, klebsiela, was found in sputum culture of high exposed workers more than low exposed workers. Aspergillus Nieger represented the most fungal species in the sputum culture of high exposed workers, while among low exposed workers, it was mixed species.

Keywords: Spin factory, Cotton dust, Byssinosis, Pulmonary functions, respiratory symptoms, textile workers