Field evaluation of air sampling methods using a one-health approach to assess pathogen contamination in animal operation environments
Year: 2019
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: S03: One Health: On animals, humans and the environment, Room 417, Floor 4, August 26, 2019, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) have been identified as a source of antibiotic-resistant bacteria as well as other zoonotic pathogens, which have been detected within CAFO environments (e.g. barn surfaces), the ambient environment near CAFOs (e.g. air, soil, water), CAFO workers, and in community residents without direct livestock contact. Additionally, transmission between animals and humans has been documented. For this reason, it is important to measure contamination of animals, people, and the environment simultaneously (One Health design) to assess transmission dynamics of pathogens, and to develop public health interventions. Most operations raising animals in confinement administer antibiotics for disease prevention and treatment. Waste is stored in open-air pits in the ground (anaerobic “lagoons”) and then sprayed onto crop fields as fertilizer (“sprayfields”). The use of these animal husbandry and waste management practices has raised concerns amongst CAFO workers and neighboring residents about exposure to pathogenic, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (and associated resistance genes) that may be present in animals and their waste. To address these concerns, we have deployed personal and area air samplers inside the farm, in the surrounding CAFO environment, and within the communities using three well-established biological air sampling methodologies in a one-health approach: (1) Inhalable air samplers (Button sampler®, SKC Inc.) loaded with 25mm gelatin filters (Sartorius, Germany), (2) Sterile all-glass impingers (BioSampler®, SKC Inc) with 20 mL sterile PBS as collection media, and (3) single stage impactor (N6, Thermo Scientific, Inc) with selective media plates or MD8, (Sartorius) with gelatin filters. Using a case study we will talk about how the choice of sampler is determined by the specific environment to be measured. Personal samplers are best to capture the individual exposures, whether worker or community member. Impinger samplers are preferred when molecular assays are needed, and impactor samplers are preferred when sampling low concentration environments.
Source: Environmental Epidemiology
Author: Rule A
Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Language: English
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,200
OpenAlex ID: W2981363410