Occupational respiratory tract allergies
Baur, X.
Fortschritte der Medizin 108(12): 232-234
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0015-8178 PMID: 2351353 Document Number: 365846
Numerous occupation-related substances of plant, animal, microbial and chemical origin are potent immunogens and allergens. In the Federal Republic of Germany, the most common form of occupational obstructive airways disease is baker's asthma, caused by the inhalation of flour dust and other related substances. Compliance with the industrial threshold limit values (TIL) at the workplace reduce the risk of contracting disease, but cannot exclude it completely. Apart from obtaining a detailed history, and performing a physical examination, the diagnostic work-up also requires inclusion of special allergy tests (prick, intradermal, RAST)--in equivocal cases also, after a prior exposure--free preparatory period, re-exposure and inhalative work-place-related provocative testing. Therapeutically, elimination of exposure heads the list of measures; in concrete terms, this can also mean a change of occupation or even occupational re-training.