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Diesel exhaust causing low-dose irritant asthma with latency?
Femi Adewole1, Vicky C Moore, Alastair S Robertson
1Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University/Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. adewolef@yahoo.co.uk
Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England)
|August 21, 2009
Summary
Occupational asthma can develop in bus garage workers exposed to diesel exhaust, even with a latency period. This study confirms diesel exhaust as a cause of occupational asthma.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Medicine
- Environmental Health
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Diesel exhaust is a known respiratory irritant and can worsen existing asthma.
- Previous literature lacks reports on occupational asthma specifically caused by diesel exhaust exposure.
Observation:
- A study reviewed occupational asthma notifications in the West Midlands, UK, from 1990-2006.
- Fifteen workers with occupational asthma linked to diesel exhaust exposure were identified.
- Three cases demonstrated validated new-onset asthma with a latency period.
Findings:
- All identified cases involved workers in bus garages with diesel exhaust as the sole likely cause.
- Occupational asthma was confirmed through non-specific reactivity tests and serial peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements.
- Positive Oasys scores (2.9, 3.73, 4) indicated significant occupational asthma.
Implications:
- Diesel exhaust exposure in bus garages can reach levels sufficient to cause irritant-induced asthma.
- This highlights the need for stricter exposure controls in environments with diesel emissions.
- Findings suggest diesel exhaust acts as a low-dose irritant triggering asthma development.
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