[Symptoms and respiratory function in a group of Gruyère cheese processors in Comté]

We have analysed the symptoms and respiratory function of a group of cheese processors making gruyère Comté in relation to a group of controls: 96 male cheese workers (mean age 36 +/- 11.1) and 97 controls who were of the male sex and of comparable age, height, weight and smoking habits. The cheese workers had a lower educational and professional level (p less than 0.01) and had a higher level of alcohol consumption than the controls (p less than 0.05). The prevalence of chronic bronchitis and of dyspnoea in the cheese workers (respectively 13.5 and 23.9%) was not significantly different from that in the controls (10.3 and 35%). 5 cheese workers (5.2%) were suspected of having occupational asthma; 5 (5.2%) were suspected of having hypersensitivity pneumonia (cheese workers' disease): 41 (42.7%) had signs of conjunctivitis during work, of whom 30 occurred only in the hot cellars. The respiratory function parameters measured were identical in the two groups (vital capacity, FEV1, mean expiratory flow at 25% and 75% of vital capacity). In conclusion, evidence of allergic problems (asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonia and conjunctivitis) seems to be frequent in refiners of Comté but the cases identified need to be confirmed; cheese refiners of Comté do not seem to have any particular risks of chronic bronchitis and of alteration of respiratory function.