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Exposure of water consumers to mesophilic actinomycetes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

T. H. Ojanen ,
M.-L. Katila ,
R. Mäntyjärvi ,
H. Seppänen ,
A. Muittari ,
P. Kuusisto  and
P. Virtanen
T. H. Ojanen
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Microbiology, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland
M.-L. Katila
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Microbiology, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland
R. Mäntyjärvi
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Microbiology, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland
H. Seppänen
Affiliation:
Institute of Limnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
A. Muittari
Affiliation:
Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Tampere Central Hospital, Tampere, Finland
P. Kuusisto
Affiliation:
Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Tampere Central Hospital, Tampere, Finland
P. Virtanen
Affiliation:
Nokia Health Centre, Nokia, Finland
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Summary

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In autumn 1978 an epidemic of respiratory disease resembling allergic alveolitis occurred in a small Finnish community. The disease was caused by repeated exposures to tap water aerosol. The raw water of the community and the sand filters of the purification system were heavily contaminated with mesophilic actinomycetes. Fourteen different strains of actinomycetes were isolated. Exposed persons with and without symptoms as well as unexposed control persons were tested for antibodies against five of these actinomycetes and against Enterobacter agglomerans. Both the exposed and the control persons had antibodies to actinomycetes but the exposed persons had antibodies against more actinomycete strains than the control persons. Precipitating antibodies against E. agglomerans were also found in control persons as well as in patients. There was a significant difference between the patients and the exposed healthy persons in bacterial agglutination tests with flagellar antigen of one E. agglomerans strain. However, the role of mesophilic actinomycetes and E. agglomerans in the aetiology of the disease could not be firmly established.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 91 , Issue 3 , December 1983 , pp. 535 - 541
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

References

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