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[Occupational diseases caused by exposure to sensitizing metals]
1Department of Environmental Health, Jichi Medical School.
Sangyo Igaku. Japanese Journal of Industrial Health
|March 1, 1993
Summary
Occupational exposure to sensitizing metals like platinum and nickel can cause allergic diseases, including asthma and dermatitis. Diagnosis involves various allergy tests, with atopy and smoking as risk factors for asthma.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Occupational Health
- Toxicology
Context:
- Occupational exposure to sensitizing metals is a significant concern in various industries.
- Understanding the mechanisms of metal-induced hypersensitivity is crucial for prevention and treatment.
Purpose:
- To review diseases caused by occupational exposure to sensitizing metals.
- To describe allergic reactions induced by metals according to Coombs and Gell classification.
- To discuss diagnostic methods and risk factors for metal-induced allergic diseases.
Summary:
- Metals act as haptens, forming new antigens with proteins, or interfering with immune recognition, leading to hypersensitivity.
- Type I reactions cause allergic asthma (e.g., platinum, rhodium, nickel, chromium, cobalt).
- Type II/III reactions are linked to gold-induced glomerulonephritis and mercury-induced glomerulonephritis.
- Type IV reactions manifest as allergic contact dermatitis (nickel, chromium, cobalt, rhodium, mercury) or granulomas (zirconium, beryllium).
- Beryllium also causes granulomatous lung disease.
Impact:
- Diagnosis relies on allergological tests like skin tests and specific antibody tests.
- Atopy and smoking are risk factors for metal-induced asthma.
- Prognosis of dermatitis is influenced by skin irritation, injury, atopic dermatitis, and co-sensitization.
- Epidemiological data on prevalence and manifestations of occupational metal allergy are reviewed.
- Research is ongoing for predictive methods and objective quantification of metal sensitization potential.