Serum precipitins against microbes in mouldy hay with respect to age, sex, atopy, and smoking of farmers
Terho, E.O.; Husman, K.; Vohlonen, I.; Mäntyjärvi, R.A.
European Journal of Respiratory Diseases. Supplement 152: 115-121
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0106-4347 PMID: 3499339 Document Number: 296683
Serum samples from 3065 of 12 056 Finnish farmers were collected for determination of precipitating antibodies to Micropolyspora faeni [Faenia rectivirgula], Thermoactinomyces vulgaris, Aspergillus fumigatus and A. umbrosus. Precipitins to any of the 4 were detected in 8.6% of the sera. The most prevalent organisms giving positive precipitin tests were A. umbrosus and T. vulgaris, which agrees with previous findings reported from Finland. In general, The precipitins were more prevalent among women, which corresponds to local cultural traditions, and in older farmers. The prevalence of precipitins did not differ between non-atopic and atopic (defined as past or present co-existence of atopic dermatitis including infantile eczema and/or hay fever or other allergic rhinitis) subjects. In contrast, the prevalence of precipitins was c. 1.5-2 times larger among non-smokers than among smokers, which confirms the findings in previous reports.