This investigation was undertaken to characterize health effects associated with a major bloom of blue-green algae due to the proliferation Microcystis aeruginosa that occurred in Florida in 2018. Cyanobacteria produce multiple toxins, including the potent hepatotoxic microcystins (MCs), that have been reported to cause illness in exposed persons worldwide. Widespread exposure to toxins released by blue-green algae during the 2018 bloom was shown by the presence of MCs in the nasal passages of 95 percent of the individuals studied previously in south Florida (Schaefer et al., 2020). The current analyses were conducted to determine whether self-reported symptoms were associated with activity patterns, direct contact with water, residential, recreational, and occupational exposure. The 125 persons who participated in the initial study reported an average of 4.94 (± 4.87) symptoms. Those reported most commonly included rhinorrhea, sneezing, headache, sore throat and dry cough. Respiratory symptoms were reported by 74%, ocular symptoms by 62%, and gastrointestinal symptoms by 35% of respondents. Residential and recreational exposures were associated with increased risks of respiratory, gastrointestinal, or ocular symptoms in univariate and adjusted multivariable analyses. Residential exposure was significantly associated with increased reporting of dry cough (p = 0.03), dyspnea (p < 0.01) and wheezy respirations (p = 0.04). Among persons reporting gastrointestinal symptoms, nausea (p = 0.02) and abdominal pain (p < 0.01) were significantly associated with residential exposure. Recreational exposure was significantly associated with sore throat and eye irritation. The findings add to the evidence that exposure to cyanobacteria at concentrations encountered during an algal bloom is associated with a diverse array of symptoms and that inhalation of aerosols constitutes an important exposure pathway.

这项调查的目的是表征 2018 年佛罗里达州发生的铜绿微囊藻增殖导致蓝绿藻大量繁殖对健康的影响。蓝藻产生多种毒素，包括强效肝毒性微囊藻毒素 (MC)，据报道，蓝藻会产生多种毒素，包括强效肝毒性微囊藻毒素 (MC)。导致全世界接触者患病。先前在南佛罗里达州研究的 95% 个体的鼻道中都存在 MC，这表明 2018 年藻华期间广泛接触了蓝绿藻释放的毒素（Schaefer 等人，2020）。目前的分析是为了确定自我报告的症状是否与活动模式、直接接触水、居住、娱乐和职业暴露有关。参与初始研究的 125 人平均报告了 4.94 (± 4.87) 种症状。最常见的症状包括鼻漏、打喷嚏、头痛、喉咙痛和干咳。74% 的受访者报告有呼吸道症状，62% 的受访者报告有眼部症状，35% 的受访者报告有胃肠道症状。在单变量和调整后的多变量分析中，住宅和娱乐场所接触与呼吸系统、胃肠道或眼部症状的风险增加相关。住宅暴露与干咳 ( p  = 0.03)、呼吸困难 ( p < 0.01) 和喘息呼吸 ( p  = 0.04) 的报告增加显着相关。在报告胃肠道症状的人中，恶心 ( p  = 0.02) 和腹痛 ( p < 0.01) 与居住暴露显着相关。娱乐暴露与喉咙痛和眼睛刺激显着相关。这些发现进一步证明，在藻华期间暴露于一定浓度的蓝藻与多种症状相关，并且吸入气溶胶构成了重要的暴露途径。