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Occupationally related respiratory symptoms in trout-processing workers
D Sherson1, I Hansen, T Sigsgaard
1Department of Occupational Medicine, Vejle County Hospital, Denmark.
Allergy
|July 1, 1989
Summary
Occupational asthma may affect trout factory workers due to inhaling contaminated aerosols from gutting machines. Endotoxins from gram-negative bacteria or fish/bacterial proteins are potential causes.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Medicine
- Environmental Health
- Allergology
Background:
- Respiratory and rhinitis symptoms were reported by 8 production workers in a trout-processing factory.
- Symptoms occurred when workers operated near an automatic gutting machine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cause of respiratory symptoms in trout factory workers.
- To determine if occupational asthma is related to exposure to the gutting machine environment.
Main Methods:
- Histamine provocation tests were performed on 8 workers.
- Total IgE levels and eosinophil counts were measured.
- Radioallergosorbent tests (RAST) were conducted against contaminated water from the gutting machine's outlet drain.
Main Results:
- 7 out of 8 workers showed positive histamine provocation tests.
- 4 workers had elevated total IgE levels; 1 had elevated eosinophils.
- All workers had positive RAST results against contaminated water containing 1 µg/ml endotoxin.
Conclusions:
- 5 of the 8 workers likely developed occupationally related asthma.
- Inhalation of endotoxin from gram-negative bacteria is a probable cause.
- Type I allergy to fish or bacterial proteins is an alternative explanation.