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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Collection and Extraction of Occupational Air Samples for Analysis of Fungal DNA
Published on: May 2, 2018
[The epidemiology of occupational asthma in Belgium]
O Vandenplas1, A Larbanois, C Bugli
1Service de Pneumologie, Cliniques de Mont-Godinne, Université Catholique de Louvain, Yvoir, Belgique. olivier.vandenplas@pneu.ucl.ac.be
Introduction:
A national surveillance programme of occupational asthma was set up to estimate the incidence and identify the causes of this disorder in Belgium.
Materials And Methods:
The programme was based on the voluntary notification of new cases of occupational asthma by chest specialists and occupational physicians during the period 2000-2002.
Results:
92% of the reported cases included occupational asthma of an immunological type and 8% bronchial irritability. According to the opinion of the reporting physicians the diagnosis was considered certain in 39%, probable in 29% and possible in 32% of cases. On the basis of these notifications the mean annual incidence of occupational asthma is estimated as 23.5 cases per million workers (95% confidence interval 19.2-28.8). The most frequently incriminated substances were isocyanates (16%), cereals (12%) and latex (10%). At the time of diagnosis 38% of patients had not applied for compensation.
Conclusion:
The results of this programme of notification of occupational asthma agree with the data available from other countries and provide information complementary to the medico-legal statistics.
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