Repository logo
 
Publication

Exposure and risk assessment in occupational exposure to fungi: aspects to consider in highly contaminated settings

dc.contributor.authorViegas, Carla
dc.date.accessioned2016-10-25T10:28:32Z
dc.date.available2016-10-25T10:28:32Z
dc.date.issued2016-10
dc.description.abstractAlthough a clear correlation between levels of fungi in the air and health impacts has not been shown in epidemiological studies, fungi must be regarded as potential occupational health hazards. Fungi can have an impact on human health in four different ways: (1) they can infect humans, (2) they may act as allergens, (3) they can be toxigenic, or (4) they may cause inflammatory reactions. Fungi of concern in occupational hygiene are mostly non-pathogenic or facultative pathogenic (opportunistic) species, but are relevant as allergens and mycotoxins producers. It is known that the exclusive use of conventional methods for fungal quantification (fungal culture) may underestimate the results due to different reasons. The incubation temperature chosen will not be the most suitable for every fungal species, resulting in the inhibition of some species and the favouring of others. Differences in fungi growth rates may also result in data underestimation, since the fungal species with higher growth rates may inhibit others species’ growth. Finally, underestimated data can result from non-viable fungal particles that may have been collected or fungal species that do not grow in the culture media used, although these species may have clinical relevance in the context. Due to these constraints occupational exposure assessment, in setings with high fungal contamination levels, should follow these steps: Apply conventional methods to obtain fungal load information (air and surfaces) regarding the most critical scenario previously selected; Guideline comparation aplying or legal requirements or suggested limits by scientific and/or technical organizations. We should also compare our results with others from the same setting (if there is any); Select the most suitable indicators for each setting and apply conventional-culture methods and also molecular tools. These methodology will ensure a more real characterization of fungal burden in each setting and, consequently, permits to identify further measures regarding assessment of fungal metabolites, and also a more adequate workers health surveillance. The methodology applied to characterize fungal burden in several occupational environments, focused in Aspergillus spp. prevalence, will be present and discussed.pt_PT
dc.identifier.citationViegas C. Exposure and risk assessment in occupational exposure to fungi: aspects to consider in highly contaminated settings. In: Annual Meeting of International Society of Exposure Science, Utrecht (Netherlands), 9-13 October 2016. Utrecht: ISES; 2016. p. 842.pt_PT
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/6516
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.publisherInternational Society of Exposure Sciencept_PT
dc.relation.publisherversionhttps://ises2016.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ISES-2016-abstractbook-DEF-161014.pdfpt_PT
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/pt_PT
dc.subjectOccupational healthpt_PT
dc.subjectOccupational exposurept_PT
dc.subjectFungipt_PT
dc.subjectAspergilluspt_PT
dc.titleExposure and risk assessment in occupational exposure to fungi: aspects to consider in highly contaminated settingspt_PT
dc.typeconference object
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.endPage842pt_PT
oaire.citation.startPage842pt_PT
person.familyNameViegas
person.givenNameCarla
person.identifier.ciencia-idEE1E-C639-D70F
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-1545-6479
person.identifier.ridB-7217-2013
person.identifier.scopus-author-id55443609700
rcaap.rightsopenAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typeconferenceObjectpt_PT
relation.isAuthorOfPublicationb5fa5da4-50c3-4b88-ae20-1bc63cb485f7
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscoveryb5fa5da4-50c3-4b88-ae20-1bc63cb485f7

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
Exposure and risk assessment in occupational exposure to fungi_aspects to consider in highly contaminated settings.pdf
Size:
10.42 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: