[Contribution of the Allergy Clinic to occupational asthma and allergic alveolitis]

Among the contributions of the Allergy Unit the following premier descriptions are to be mentioned particularly: humidifier fever, detergent enzymes, penicillium as cause of cheesewasher's asthma, rennet, wax moth, aureobasidium pullulans in cooling lubricant as cause of hypersensitivity pneumonitis in a hard metal grinder, pectinase, amylase, pepsin, indigenous bat, edible boletus. Starting with these and other occupational illnesses elucidated and described by the Allergy Unit, the importance of the exposure conditions for epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention is demonstrated. The risk indicator atopy has to be considered while selecting an occupation and a workplace, but should not be unjustly overestimated.