A cohort study of cucumber greenhouse workers’ exposure to microorganisms as measured using NGS and MALDI-TOF MS and biomarkers of systemic inflammation

Work in greenhouses entails exposure to airborne fungi and bacteria. The aims of this study are obtain knowledge about whether fungal bacterial genera species during work a cucumber greenhouse is affected by tasks, cohort workers' serum levels amyloid A (SAA) C-reactive protein (CRP), biomarkers systemic inflammation, associated with this. Data on personal measured over 4 years as well SAA CRP sampled two were analyzed. For data analysis, the main tasks grouped into three different groups, called ‘grouped task’. Microorganisms identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF MS) next-generation sequencing (NGS). ‘daily exposure’ follows: 4.8 × 104 CFU bacteria/m3, 1.4 106 fungi/m3, 392 EU/m3 endotoxin. Workers exposed many microbial including several within Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Microbacterium, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Streptomyces. Ralstonia Cladosporium found most samples. composition significantly task season high exposures close contact mature old plants autumn. also level tasks. Shannon-Wiener indices not 3 tasks’. Several specific e.g. Halomonas elongata, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Podosphaera fusca, Wallemia spp. frequently or concentrations highest SAA. microorganisms S. P. plant leaves. In conclusion, both seem have an effect workers. workers only few characterized human pathogens.