Abstract
Exposures to car fuel vapor among workers result in appearance of pulmonary diseases. An evaluation of histological and scanning electron microscopic changes induced by subjecting guinea pigs to gasoline vapor under laboratory conditions was studied. Thirty males of guinea pigs were used in the experiment where it was divided into two main groups (control and experimental). Each group was subdivided into three subgroups according to the duration of exposure (30, 60 and 90 days). Experimental groups were subjected to gasoline vapor in an inhalation chamber for 6 h daily, 5 days a week. Control group were left access to fresh air under laboratory conditions. Gasoline vapor induced histological changes, which increased according to duration of exposure. There were infiltration of inflammatory cells within mucosa and submucosa of trachea, loss of cilia in tracheal epithelium and increase in size of tracheal gland in submucosa, disruption and desquamation in tracheal epithelium and infiltration and reduction in goblet cell numbers. Scanning electron microscopic findings revealed that shorting and disorientation of cilia, focal disruption and deciduation of ciliated epithelial cells and decrease in number of goblet cells in comparison to control group. It was concluded that gasoline vapor can harm tracheal mucosal and submucosal components, which will reflect on its functions and predispose to lower respiratory tract diseases. Prophylactic measures must be provided during exposure to car fuel (gasoline) inhalation.