[Occupational asthma due to exotic wood: Nesorgordonia papaverifera (danta or kotibe)]

The authors report the first description of occupational asthma induced by sensitisation to danta or kotibe wood in an atopic, smoking, cabinet maker presenting with non-specific bronchial hyper-reactivity. The asthma used to appear several hours after finishing work and was exclusively on those days when he was handling danta wood. After exclusion of the offending allergen for several weeks a delayed asthmatic reaction was seen seven hours after a provocation test with the incriminated wood dust. The bronchial reaction was accompanied by cutaneous symptoms also. An immediate positive cutaneous reaction to the wood dust extract was seen and the cutaneous sensitivity could be passively transferred. These results, as well as the efficacy of treatment with disodium cromoglycate, suggest that an IgE mechanism is involved in the pathogenesis of this occupational asthma.