Lung function decline in laboratory animal workers

Lung function decline in laboratory animal workers.

In their recent paper Portengen and colleagues have made an important contribution to our understanding of laboratory animal allergy. However, they have omitted to draw attention to an observation of clinical importance to occupational physicians. They have suggested that the lack of decline in lung function in ‘‘experienced’’ workers may be due to the healthy worker effect. Their suggestion is...

Lung function decline in laboratory animal workers: the role of sensitisation and exposure.

BACKGROUND Little is known about the relation between allergic sensitisation and subsequent long term lung function changes in working populations exposed to sensitising agents. AIMS To investigate whether exposure and work related sensitisation to laboratory animals are associated with lung function decline. METHODS The relation between exposure and sensitisation to laboratory animal aller...

Decline in lung function related to exposure and selection processes among workers in the grain processing and animal feed industry.

OBJECTIVES To follow up workers in the grain processing and animal feed industry five years after an initial survey, and to monitor exposures to organic dust and endotoxin and changes in prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung function. METHODS Outcome measures in the present survey were decline in lung function over five years, rapid annual decline in forced expiratory volume in one seco...

Prevalence of Laboratory Animal Allergy in Laboratory Workers Tae

Animal allergen sensitization in veterinarians and laboratory animal workers.

BACKGROUND Animals secrete allergens into the environment and exposure to these in the workplace may cause sensitization. AIMS To identify the frequency of animal allergen sensitization and symptoms in animal workers. METHODS Using skin prick tests (SPT), we assessed sensitization to 15 mammal and bird allergens in animal workers and controls. We also recorded symptoms and pulmonary functio...