Microbiological Characterization and Mitigation of Bioaerosols in CAFOs

描述（由申请人提供）：人类呼吸道疾病是在集中动物饲养操作（CAFO）中工作的个人发病的新兴原因。近距离接触高密度的牲畜使CAFO工作人员暴露于大量空气传播的微生物、抗原和毒素，这些联合收割机结合在一起诱发急性和慢性呼吸系统疾病。CAFO的工作人员，特别是那些与猪和家禽打交道的工作人员，处于引起严重公共卫生关注的新出现的人畜共患病风险的最前沿，包括禽流感、猪流感和多重耐药病原体。除了最急性的感染，CAFO工人肺部疾病的病原体没有得到很好的表征，因为大多数可用的微生物学知识依赖于文化，这是缺乏信息。相比之下，基于分子的测定，如大范围聚合酶链反应（PCR），可以提供全面的调查微生物种群。此外，分子测定可以比传统的基于培养的技术更快速和更便宜地进行。拟议的四年计划的目标是使用先进的分子技术来充分表征与选定的CAFO相关的生物气溶胶的微生物学，并采用这些技术来测试生物气溶胶消毒的两个工程过程的效力：紫外线照射和放电。将在猪、家禽和牛CAFO各两处进行纵向空气采样，以概括结果。这项研究的结果对于控制CAFO工人接触有害微生物、推进诊断、指导抗菌治疗和测量治疗结果可能至关重要。该项目的具体目标是：1。使用传统和非培养技术鉴定和量化与CAFO生物气溶胶相关的微生物。2.开发和验证适用于检测和定量生物气溶胶相关微生物的基于PCR的检测方法。3.评价受控实验室环境中生物气溶胶消毒的紫外线照射和放电方法。4.确定采用生物气溶胶消毒的紫外线照射和放电方法缓解后对CAFO中总微生物和活微生物负荷的影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Human respiratory illnesses are a burgeoning cause of morbidity for individuals who work in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO). Contact with high densities of livestock in close quarters exposes CAFO workers to large quantities of airborne microbes, antigens, and toxins, which combine to induce acute and chronic respiratory disorders. CAFO workers, particularly those working with swine and poultry, are at the forefront of risk for emerging zoonotic diseases of intense public health concern, including avian influenza, swine influenza, and multi-drug resistant pathogens. Except for the most acute infections, the etiological agents of lung disorders in CAFO workers are not well characterized, because most available microbiological knowledge has depended on culture, which is poorly informative. In contrast, molecular-based assays, such as broad-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can provide comprehensive surveys of microbial populations. Moreover, molecular assays can be performed much more rapidly and less expensively than can conventional culture-based techniques. The goals of the proposed four-year program are to use advanced molecular techniques to fully characterize the microbiology of bio-aerosols associated with selected CAFOs and to employ these techniques to test the efficacies of two engineering processes for bio-aerosol disinfection: U.V. irradiation and electrical discharge. Longitudinal air sampling will be performed at two each of swine, poultry, and cattle CAFOs in order to generalize results. The findings of this study are potentially critical for controlling CAFO workers' exposures to harmful microorganisms, advancing diagnostics, directing antimicrobial therapies, and measuring treatment outcomes. The specific objectives of this project are to: 1. Identify and quantify microorganisms associated with CAFO bio-aerosols using traditional and culture- independent technology. 2. Develop and validate PCR-based assays applicable to detection and quantification of bio-aerosol- associated microbes. 3. Evaluate U.V. irradiation and electrical discharge methods of bio-aerosol disinfection in controlled, laboratory environment. 4. Determine the impact on total and viable microbial loads in CAFOs following mitigation with U.V. irradiation and electrical discharge methods of bio-aerosol disinfection.