New Research Links Agricultural Dust Exposure To Gut Health Issues In Farm Workers

---

Sign Up for free to listen to this article
Thank you. You can listen to this article using the player above.
Interested in listening to this article for FREE?
Fill out the form below to gain access to ALL audio articles.
Inhalation of agricultural dust may significantly threaten gut health for workers in the animal agriculture sector, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Riverside. The findings have been published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology.
Led by Declan McCole, a professor at the UCR School of Medicine, this research builds upon earlier studies indicating that dust from hog farms causes airway inflammation. The latest findings suggest that inhalation of this dust may also disrupt the gut microbiome and negatively affect intestinal function, potentially increasing “leaky gut,” a condition linked to various chronic diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and type 1 diabetes.
“Exposure to dust from swine farms, which harbors elevated levels of bacteria and endotoxins, led to airway inflammation and heightened transfer of gut bacterial products into the bloodstream in our mouse models,” explained Meli’sa Crawford, the paper’s primary author and a former postdoctoral researcher in McCole’s lab. “What is especially noteworthy is the observed impact on the gut microbiome and metabolic pathways.”
The research team conducted intranasal exposures of hog dust extract in mice over a three-week period. Results revealed a substantial decline in beneficial bacterial species such as Akkermansia muciniphila, Clostridium sp. ASF356, and Lachnospiraceae bacterium.
Moreover, researchers noted reduced levels of essential compounds in the gut, including riboflavin, nicotinic acid, inosine, and leucine — all vital for energy metabolism, immune function, and gut barrier integrity.
“Traditionally, research has focused on the respiratory impacts of agricultural dust. Our findings, however, suggest that inhaled pollutants may induce systemic health issues,” said McCole. “This underscores the necessity of considering the gut–lung axis when evaluating health risks associated with bioaerosol exposure in the agricultural field.”
This study contributes to a growing body of evidence indicating that pollutants generated by concentrated animal feeding operations have the potential to affect multiple organ systems.
“The fine particulate matter and resistant bacteria found in agricultural dust present a complex health risk to farmworkers,” McCole added. “Our previous studies showed that inhaling hog dust can lead to neutrophilic lung inflammation. Now, we have established connections to intestinal barrier dysfunction and microbial imbalance, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced workplace protections for agricultural laborers to prevent long-term health issues.”
The research received support through grants from the National Institutes of Health, the University of California, Davis-Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, and the University of California Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Crawford currently holds a position as an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Reference: Crawford MS, Ulu A, Ramirez BM, et al. Respiratory exposure to agriculture dust extract alters gut commensal species and key metabolites in mice. App Toxic. 2025. doi: 10.1002/jat.4808
This article has been republished from the following source. Please note that the material may have been edited for length and content. For additional information, please contact the cited source. Our press release publishing policy can be accessed here.


Source link

---