• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2004

Respiratory effects in full time welders include bronchitis, airway irritation, lung function changes, and lung fibrosis. Welder's pneumoconiosis has been generally determined to be benign and not associated with respiratory symptoms based on the absence of pulmonary function abnormalities in welders with marked radiographic abnormalities. Accordingly, to investigate pulmonary function changes during 60 days induced by welding-fume exposure, male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to manual metal arc-stainless steel (MMA-SS) welding fumes with concentrations of 64.8$\pm$0.9 mg/$m^3$ (low dose) and 107.8 $\pm$ 2.6 mg/$m^3$ (high dose) total suspended particulates for 2 hr/day, 5 days/week in an inhalation chamber for 60 days. Pulmonary function was measured every week with whole body plethysmograph compensated (WBP Comp, SFT38116, Buxco Electronics, Sharon, CT). The rats exposed to the high dose of welding fumes exhibited statistically significant (p<0.05~0.01) body weight decrease as compared to the control whereas cell number increase of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) (total cell, macrophage, polymorphonuclear cell and lymphocyte) during the 60 days exposure period. And only tidal volume was significantly decreased in dosedependantly during 60 days of MMA-SS welding fume exposure. This pulmonary function change with inflammatory cell recruitment confirms the lung injury caused by the MMA-SS welding fume exposure.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.162-170
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• 2021

Objectives: This study was carried out to understand the seroprevalence and risk factors for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) among the Korea National Park Service (KNPS) workers. Methods: We used the stored serum samples (763) and survey results collected from the previous investigation on scrub typhus and Lyme disease among the KNPS workers during 2016-2017. The serum samples were analyzed by double-antigen sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which was used to test the total antibody including IgG and IgM. Results: The SFTS seroprevalence among the KNPS worrkers was 1.4%. In multivariate logistic analysis, the national park exploration programs (odds ratio, 3.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-12.01) was significantly associated with the seroprevalence of SFTS. Conclusion: This study was the first serological study of SFTS among forestry workers in South Korea. Although the KNPS workers are at a high-risk group of SFTS, the prevention activities related to the working environment and habit was insufficient. Thus, systematic prevention education and training for the KNPS workers need to be strengthened.