Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jun 6:13:1574881.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1574881. eCollection 2025.

Boosting knowledge on occupational exposure to microbial contamination in Portuguese carpentries

Marta Dias  1   2 , Bianca Gomes  2   3 , Pedro Pena  1   2 , Renata Cervantes  1   2 , Margarida Rodriguez  2 , Bruna Riesenberger  2 , Liliana Marques  2 , Elisabete Carolino  2 , Magdalena Twarużek  4 , Robert Kosicki  4 , Ewelina Soszczynska  4 , Liliana Aranha Caetano  2   5 , Susana Viegas  1   2 , Carla Viegas  1   2
Affiliations

Boosting knowledge on occupational exposure to microbial contamination in Portuguese carpentries

Marta Dias et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Introduction: Wood industry workers face health risks due to exposure to microorganisms and their metabolites. This study aimed to characterize seasonal microbial contamination, antifungal resistance, mycotoxins, cytotoxicity, and particulate matter in Portuguese carpentries, to reduce exposure and promote safe working conditions.

Methods: Conducted in six carpentries in Lisbon, Portugal, the sampling strategy encompassed active and passive sampling methods to assess microbial contamination. A Handheld Particle Counter HH3016-IAQ was used to monitor particulate matter size, temperature, and humidity.

Results: The highest fungal load was in the cold season, with Aspergillus sp. being the predominant species, and the highest bacterial load in the warm season. Reduced susceptibility to azoles was observed in both seasons, with greater species diversity in the cold season. In the warm season, Nidulantes and Fumigati sections of Aspergillus were detected by RT-PCR, with Fumigati being the most prevalent; in the cold season, only Nidulantes was detected. Mycotoxins, mainly fumonisins, were more prevalent in the warm season; in the cold season, griseofulvin was the most prevalent mycotoxin. Cytotoxicity was more prevalent in A549 cells than in SK cells. Settled dust caused greater cytotoxicity in SK cells, and filters from the vacuumed dust in A549 cells. Higher particulate matter concentrations in the indoor sampled areas suggest a significant contribution of indoor activities to workers' exposure.

Discussion: The study highlights concern about seasonal variations in microbial contamination, emphasizing the potential for respiratory diseases, invasive infections by azole-resistant fungi, mycotoxin exposure, and cytotoxicity in lung cells due to co-exposure to fungi, particulate matter, and mycotoxins influenced by environmental conditions.

Keywords: carpentry; fungi; occupational exposure; wood dust; woodworkers.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Geographical distribution of evaluated carpentries and sampling sites.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sampling strategy applied and analysis flowchart of the environment samples collected (Created in BioRender. Dias, M. (2025) https://BioRender.com/zb6iedz).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Species diversity on active sampling methods.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Genera distribution on passive sampling methods.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Mycotoxin’s prevalence in both seasons.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Particulate matter prevalence in each site during both seasons.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Dias M, Gomes B, Cervantes R, Pena P, Viegas S, Viegas C. Microbial occupational exposure assessments in sawmills—a review. Atmos. (2022) 13:266. doi: 10.3390/atmos13020266 - DOI
    1. Dutkiewicz J, Krysińska-Traczyk E, Prazmo Z, Skoŕska C, Sitkowska J. Exposure to airborne microorganisms in polish sawmills. Ann Agric Environ Med. (2001) 8:71–80. PMID: - PubMed
    1. Frankel M, Bekö G, Timm M, Gustavsen S, Hansen EW, Madsen AM. Seasonal variations of indoor microbial exposures and their relation to temperature, relative humidity, and air exchange rate. Appl Environ Microbiol. (2012) 78:8289–97. doi: 10.1128/AEM.02069-12, PMID: - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Heitman J. Microbial pathogens in the fungal kingdom. Fungal Biol Rev. (2011) 25:48–60. doi: 10.1016/j.fbr.2011.01.003, PMID: - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Seyedmousavi S, Guillot J, Arné P, De Hoog GS, Mouton JW, Melchers WJG, et al. Aspergillus and aspergilloses in wild and domestic animals: a global health concern with parallels to human disease. Med Mycol. (2015) 53:765–97. doi: 10.1093/mmy/myv067, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources