The bacterial profile of cotton lint from worldwide origins, and links with occupational lung disease

Background Byssinosis, the cotton worker's lung disease persists today in many countries. Several agents have been investigated with respect to causality; among these are Gram-negative bacteria. These organisms are a source of lipopolysaccharide toxins, which are potentially hazardous to the respiratory tract. Despite byssinosis being most prevalent in countries where adequate preventive procedures are lacking, the majority of past studies have been conducted on cotton from the United States. Methods The current investigation, involved the identification of Gram-negative bacteria from cotton lint samples originating in 12 world regions. Results The current investigation, involved the identification of Gram-negative bacteria from cotton lint samples originating in 12 world regions. Conclusions Building a bacterial profile of cotton samples with worldwide origins will be useful in isolating sources of these organisms, assessing the risk posed to industry, workers and ultimately assisting the prevention of byssinosis and related conditions. Am. J. Ind. Med. 50:42–47, 2007. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.