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Related Experiment Videos

Multiple-episode conjunctivitis outbreak among workers at a nut-processing facility.

R G Ames1

  • 1Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology Section, California Department of Health Services, Berkeley 94704.

Journal of Occupational Medicine. : Official Publication of the Industrial Medical Association
|April 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

Workers experienced eye irritation after phosphine fumigation in a nut-packing facility. Investigations into phosphine, ammonia, and dust exposures did not identify a definitive cause for the conjunctivitis outbreaks.

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Area of Science:

  • Occupational Health
  • Environmental Health
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Recurrent conjunctivitis outbreaks occurred among workers in a Kern County almond and pistachio nut-packing facility in 1987-1988.
  • The incidents were confined to 30-35 workers in the preprocessor shed and followed phosphine (Gastoxin) fumigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cause of recurrent eye irritation outbreaks in a nut-packing facility.
  • To identify the responsible agent and recommend remediation strategies for the conjunctivitis incidents.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated four potential causes: phosphine gas, ammonia gas, aluminum hydroxide dust, and almond/pistachio dust (potentially with propargite residues).
  • Evaluated worker medical records and environmental factors associated with the three separate outbreak incidents.

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Main Results:

  • No single hypothesis was consistently supported as the definitive cause of the eye irritation outbreaks.
  • While phosphine fumigation preceded each incident, direct causal links to phosphine, ammonia, or specific dust exposures were not established.

Conclusions:

  • The exact etiology of the conjunctivitis outbreaks remains undetermined despite investigation.
  • Further research may be needed to identify the specific irritant or combination of factors responsible for the worker eye irritation.