Hazardous agents in agricultural dusts and methods of evaluation

Abstract

Organic dusts in agriculture vary with type of agriculture, weather conditions, geographical location, and agricultural practices. It is difficult to ascribe a specific biological effect to a specific agent in agricultural dusts, and we are only able to develop a list of candidates for disease-causing agents. Future studies should be designed to define more specifically the hazardous agents in agricultural dusts by using more precise analytical techniques and documenting the clinical effects to man, developing dose-response relationships.