Narrow Results

Veterinary staff could be in frequent exposure to a variety of physical, chemical and biological hazards. Epidemiologic studies have showed that veterinarians are at increased risk of many occupational illnesses such as dermatoses, respiratory tract illnesses, zoonotic infections, acute pesticide-associated toxicity, fetal loss and site-specific cancers. Most biological hazards are distributed in the form of aerosols in the workplaces. This study intended to investigate the potential occupational hazards faced by veterinarians in small-animal practices through field sampling for microbial pathogens in their working environment. Sampling of bacterial and fungal bioaerosols was carried out using an SKC^Ⓡ standard biostage impactor at an air-flow rate of 28.3Lmin${}^{-1}$ by a vacuum pump through 400 (0.25-mm) holes for 30s. Identification of microbial organisms was carried out by DNA extraction and sequencing for 16S and 18S ribosomal DNA of bacteria and fungi. The results showed the bacteria that occurred most frequently in the sampled hospitals were Micrococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp., and the fungi were Coriolopsis spp. and Microporus spp. Although some of these microbiota were zoonotic, there were no virulent pathogens identified. Our results revealed the possible biological risks for the veterinary workers in small animal hospitals in Taiwan. Proper disinfection and sterilization procedures in workplaces with health education to the animal care workers shall protect them from the occupational injuries.

The Asian dust phenomena, Kosa, have possibility to carry the microbial particles (Kosa bioaerosol) influencing the microbial habitats and the human health in Japan. In this study, the bioaerosol were collected at 600 m and 2 m above ground in Kanazawa city at the Kosa coming season, April in 2007. In the culture media based on seawater and lake water, the bioaerosol at 600 m indicated the microbial growth only in the seawater medium, but no growth in the lake water medium. The bioaerosol at 2 m grew in the both media. The halophilic bacteria would maintain viable activities in the atmosphere. Furthermore, the microorganisms in the bioaerosol at 2 m indicated the better growth in this order of 0%, 3%, and 10% of NaCl concentrations, and no growth was detected in the 20% NaCl medium. According to the PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) analysis, same bacterial species were detected in the every NaCl concentration of culture medium, and other bacterial species could grow only in the culture media with 3% or 10% NaCl concentrations. Therefore, the halophilic or halotolerant bacteria would survive in the aerosol at 2 m above ground, and may be related to the microbial transport across the ground-atmosphere.