[Prostate diseases of occupational origin]

Prostatitis is a poorly defined group of syndromes with multiple causes. Chronic prostatitis may be non-bacterial and due to intrapelvic venous congestion. If the causes persist and adequate treatment is not given, the congestive syndrome may become chronic and interfere with fertility with severe biological damage.

Little is known in the field of occupational medicine (as regards clinical and pathogenic aspects) and, on the other hand, little is known by urologists (as far as the aetiological aspects are concerned), the prostatitis-like syndrome due to intrapelvic congestion has been defined in recent studies as non-bacterial prostatitis or prostatodynia, but we prefer to call it "prostatosis". The results of a close cooperation between urologists and occupational physicians are reported.

Patients with non-bacterial chronic prostatosis were evaluated from the urological and occupational point of view and all the etiological factors of both occupational and non occupational origin were considered. When occupational factors are a conditio sine qua non prostatosis is considered an occupational disease.

Two cases of "occupational prostatosis" are described where driving vehicles and a sedentary employment played the most important etiological part. Many other similar cases were observed.

Close cooperation between urologists and occupational physicians makes it possible to complete clinical diagnosis with a careful evaluation of all the factors of both occupational and non-occupational origin and allows the identification of those cases that must be defined as occupational diseases. Prostatosis due to venous congestion deserves the attention of occupational physicians since the distinction between occupational and non-occupational origin must be found both in individual cases and in groups of workers subject to the same factors. Moreover, the present state of knowledge is enough to take preventive measures aimed at reducing the frequency of new cases and avoiding the deterioration of existing cases. It is also possible that some cases of pseudo-cystitis in women might be the result of intrapelvic venous congestion of occupational origin. Anatomical and physiological non-occupational factors as well as certain habits of life style can favor intrapelvic venous congestion, producing conditions of hypersusceptibility to occupational factors and could sometimes cause the disease even in the absence of causes connected to work.