Airborne dust and aeroallergen concentration in a horse stable under two different management systems.
Abstract: Airborne dust concentration (ADC) was measured in 2 different horse management systems using an Andersen cascade impactor in the box-stall, and a personal Marple cascade impactor attached to the halter to measure ADC in the breathing zone. The levels of aeroallergens implicated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were measured by radioallergosorbent-inhibition immunoassay. A conventional management system (System C) utilising hay feed and straw bedding, and a recommended environment (System R) utilising wood shaving bedding and a complete pelleted diet were studied. In the stall, total and respirable ADC (geometric mean) were significantly higher in System C (2.55 mg/m3; 0.44 mg/m3, respectively) than in System R (0.70 mg/m3; 0.20 mg/m3, respectively). In System C, the total and respirable ADC in the breathing zone (17.51 mg/m3; 9.28 mg/m3) were much higher than in the stall, but values in both regions were similar in System R (0.52 mg/m3; 0.30 mg/m3). Major aeroallergens were significantly higher in System C than in System R: Micropolyspora faeni (1423 ng/m3 and 705 ng/m3), Aspergillus fumigatus (1823 ng/m3 and 748 ng/m3), and mite allergens (1420 ng/m3 and 761 ng/m3). Measurement of ADC with personal samplers indicates that the very high inhalation challenge in the breathing zone is not reflected in measurements of stall air quality. When compared with System C, System R produced only 3% of the respirable dust burden in the breathing zone and a decreased aeroallergen challenge.
Publication Date: 1993-05-01 PubMed ID: 8508749DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1993.tb02945.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
Summary
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The study investigates the airborne dust and allergen concentration in two different horse stable management systems. The results show there is significant reduction in dust and allergen levels in the system using wood shaving bedding and complete pelleted diet compared to the one using hay and straw bedding.
Research methodology
- The research employed the use of an Andersen cascade impactor in box-stall to measure airborne dust concentrations in two different horse stable management systems.
- A personal Marple cascade impactor was also attached to the halter to capture the concentration of dust in the breathing zone.
- The levels of aeroallergens, which are often implicated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), were measured using a radioallergosorbent-inhibition immunoassay.
- A conventional management system (System C) using hay feed and straw bedding, and a recommended environment (System R) using wood shaving bedding and a complete pelleted diet were the two systems investigated.
Research findings
- In the stall, total and respirable airborne dust concentrations (ADC) were significantly higher in System C (average concentration of 2.55 mg/m3 and 0.44 mg/m3 respectively) compared to System R (0.70 mg/m3 and 0.20 mg/m3 respectively).
- In the breathing zone, dust in System C was much higher (17.51 mg/m3 and 9.28 mg/m3) than in the stall, while measurements in both stall and the breathing zone of System R were similar and notably lower (0.52 mg/m3 and 0.30 mg/m3).
- Major allergens such as Micropolyspora faeni, Aspergillus fumigatus, and mite allergens were significantly higher in System C compared to System R.
- The study showed that using personal samplers to measure ADC indicates that a high inhalation challenge in the breathing zone isn’t reflected in measurements of overall stall air quality.
- In comparison with System C, System R was found to produce only 3% of the respirable dust burden in the breathing zone and thus offers a decreased aeroallergen challenge.
Cite This Article
APA
Woods PS, Robinson NE, Swanson MC, Reed CE, Broadstone RV, Derksen FJ.
(1993).
Airborne dust and aeroallergen concentration in a horse stable under two different management systems.
Equine Vet J, 25(3), 208-213.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1993.tb02945.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
MeSH Terms
- Air Microbiology
- Air Pollution, Indoor
- Allergens / analysis
- Animal Husbandry
- Animals
- Aspergillus fumigatus / growth & development
- Dust
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses
- Housing, Animal
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / etiology
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / veterinary
- Micromonosporaceae / growth & development
- Mites / growth & development
- Seasons
Citations
This article has been cited 15 times.- Petz V, Khiaosa-Ard R, Iben C, Zebeli Q. Changes in eating time, chewing activity and dust concentration in horses fed either alfalfa cubes or long-stem hay.. Vet Med Sci 2023 May;9(3):1154-1162.
- Mönki J, Saastamoinen M, Karikoski N, Rajamäki M, Raekallio M, Junnila J, Särkijärvi S, Norring M, Valros A, Oranen Ben Fatma S, Mykkänen A. Effects of Bedding Material on Equine Lower Airway Inflammation: A Crossover Study Comparing Peat and Wood Shavings.. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:656814.
- Pirie RS, Mueller HW, Engel O, Albrecht B, von Salis-Soglio M. Inhaled ciclesonide is efficacious and well tolerated in the treatment of severe equine asthma in a large prospective European clinical trial.. Equine Vet J 2021 Nov;53(6):1094-1104.
- Raudsepp T, Finno CJ, Bellone RR, Petersen JL. Ten years of the horse reference genome: insights into equine biology, domestication and population dynamics in the post-genome era.. Anim Genet 2019 Dec;50(6):569-597.
- Boivin R, Pilon F, Lavoie JP, Leclere M. Adherence to treatment recommendations and short-term outcome of pleasure and sport horses with equine asthma.. Can Vet J 2018 Dec;59(12):1293-1298.
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- Couëtil LL, Cardwell JM, Gerber V, Lavoie JP, Léguillette R, Richard EA. Inflammatory Airway Disease of Horses--Revised Consensus Statement.. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Mar-Apr;30(2):503-15.
- Saastamoinen M, Särkijärvi S, Hyyppä S. Reducing Respiratory Health Risks to Horses and Workers: A Comparison of Two Stall Bedding Materials.. Animals (Basel) 2015 Oct 8;5(4):965-77.
- Moore-Colyer MJ, Lumbis K, Longland A, Harris P. The effect of five different wetting treatments on the nutrient content and microbial concentration in hay for horses.. PLoS One 2014;9(11):e114079.
- Ivester KM, Couëtil LL, Zimmerman NJ. Investigating the link between particulate exposure and airway inflammation in the horse.. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Nov-Dec;28(6):1653-65.
- Kusano K, Ishikawa Y, Seki K, Kusunose R. Characteristic of inflammatory airway disease in Japanese thoroughbred racehorses.. J Equine Sci 2008;19(2):25-9.
- Rousseau K, Cardwell JM, Humphrey E, Newton R, Knight D, Clegg P, Thornton DJ. Muc5b is the major polymeric mucin in mucus from thoroughbred horses with and without airway mucus accumulation.. PLoS One 2011;6(5):e19678.
- Elfman L, Riihimäki M, Pringle J, Wålinder R. Influence of horse stable environment on human airways.. J Occup Med Toxicol 2009 May 25;4:10.
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- Nardoni S, Mancianti F, Sgorbini M, Taccini F, Corazza M. Identification and seasonal distribution of airborne fungi in three horse stables in Italy.. Mycopathologia 2005 Aug;160(1):29-34.
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