A cluster of Acinetobacter Pneumonia in foundry workers
In a 3-month period, three men who had worked for 5 to 19 years as welders or grinders of steel castings in a foundry acquired pneumonia caused by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus variety anitratus serotype 7J. Two of the men died, and postmortem examination showed mixed-dust pneumoconiosis with iron particles in the lungs. A calcoaceticus variety anitratus serotype 7J was isolated from the air in the foundry but the source was not found. The prevalence of antibody titers of 64 or greater to the 7J strain was significantly higher among foundry workers (15%) than among community controls (2%) (p less than 0.01). Sampling showed that the concentrations of total and metallic particles (especially iron) and of free silica in air inhaled by welders and grinders at the foundry frequently exceeded acceptable levels. These findings suggest that chronic exposure to such particles may increase susceptibility to infection by this organism, which rarely affects healthy people.
- Research Organization:
- Bacterial Diseases Division, Center for Infectious Diseases, Atlanta, GA
- OSTI ID:
- 5498940
- Journal Information:
- Ann. Intern. Med.; (United States), Vol. 95:6
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
IRON
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
PNEUMONIA
PATHOLOGY
SILICA
WELDING
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
AIR POLLUTION
BACTERIAL DISEASES
INFECTIVITY
INHALATION
PNEUMOCONIOSES
WORKING CONDITIONS
CHALCOGENIDES
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
FABRICATION
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
INTAKE
JOINING
METALS
MINERALS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SAFETY
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
550700 - Microbiology
552000 - Public Health