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IgE-mediated allergy to phytase -- a new animal feed additive
X Baur1, S Melching-Kollmuss, F Koops
1Zentralinstitut für Arbeitsmedizin, Institute for Occupational Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.
Background:
Although fungal phytase is frequently used as an additive to animal feed few investigations of its allergenic property have been conducted.
Methods:
Fifty-three subjects occupationally exposed to powdered phytase from Aspergillus niger were studied. Exposure data and symptoms were registered by the company physician.
Results:
Thirty-eight subjects complained of work-related respiratory symptoms and 14 of them showed phytase-specific IgE antibodies; only one asymptomatic subject revealed such antibodies. IgE antibodies were significantly more frequently found in the high-exposure group (technical centre) when compared with the low-exposure group (laboratories, experimental animal husbandry). Phytase-specific IgG antibodies were present in 19 symptomatic (50%) and five (33%) asymptomatic subjects.
Conclusions:
Our results demonstrate that powdered fungal phytase is a highly sensitizing substance whose inhalation exposure should be avoided. Hypersensitivity symptoms could be prevented by means of extensive hygienic measures and ongoing medical surveillance.