[Occupational asthma. New findings on work related obstructive respiratory diseases (author's transl)]

In baker's asthma, however not in case of sensitization by pelage and epithelia of animal origin, the definite, concordant result of skin test and radio-allergosorbent test (RAST) renders inhalative provocation test under the conditions of working place. Clinical observations have shown persulfates and papain to cause occupational obstructive airway disease. The irritant gas ozone produces an increase in reactivity of the bronchial tree already in the range from 0.3 ppm onwards. Among 195 workmen exposed to isocyanates in the manufacture of plastic materials, 55 suffered from attacks of asthma attributable to the isocyanate exposure. One third of 99 persons investigated, who had manufactured or fed fish food prepared from Chironomus larvae, revealed clinically relevant sensitization of the respiratory tract to hemoglobin molecules contained in these larvae. In fragments of one of these hemoglobins (CCT VI) it was possible to locate four antigen determinants.