Allergy to fish in fish meal factory workers

Abstract

Fifty-one fish meal factory workers in four Polish harbour cities were investigated. They had been employed in the fish meal factory for 1--33 years and 10.7 years on average. All but seven of these were smokers. The investigation consisted of respiratory symptoms questionnaire, chest X-ray, physical examination, respiratory function assessment, intradermal skin tests to ten fish genera, total serum IgE and serum precipitins to fish antigen assessment. Chronic bronchitis was diagnosed in 29 investigated patients. In 12 (23%) of the patients, according to their case history or to skin tests, allergy to fish was suspected, but was confirmed by elevated serum IgE levels in only two of these. In no cases were serum precipitins against fish antigen found. In six patients, either obstructive or restrictive changes were diagnosed according to conventional spirometry, but by MEF50% VC in 17 subjects (33%) slight airways obstruction was diagnosed and can be regarded as the result of the habit of smoking. According to the performed investigation, only two workers presented a full clinical and immunological picture of allergy to fish. From the practical point of view, this type of professional activity is less dangerous than might be theoretically expected.

Occupational allergy and asthma among salt water fish processing workers

“…There have been very few epidemiological studies of occupational asthma among fish processors reported in the literature. These studies have been conducted among processors of fishmeal (pickling, cod, plaice, tunny, salmon, herring, sardine), cod and salmon, reporting prevalences of 2%, <7% and 8% respectively (Dorszscz et al, 1981; Bang et al, 2005 b; Douglas et al, 1995). Occupational asthma due to bony fish is less commonly encountered than to crustacean species where prevalences of up to 16% and 36% have been documented in cross-sectional studies of workers exposed to crab and prawn processors respectively (Cartier et al, 1984; Gaddie and Friend, 1980).…”

Occupational asthma in maritime environments: an update

“…Most OA related to fish are case-reports of sensitisation secondary to inhalation of wet aerosols in fish processing workers and fishmongers, but no case has been described in fishermen [33].…”

“…In a closed study, 3 cases of OA to salmon were found in a population of 26 salmon-processing workers [36]. Sole, hake, plaice, cod, herring, pilchard, anchovy, swordfish, sole, pomfret, yellowfin, shark and tuna exposure have been related to OA [2,33]. The link between trout exposure and OA is unclear [37].…”

Fish-allergic patients may be able to eat fish

“…Also the quantity of parvalbumin differs considerably among fish species, which can explain their varying degree of allergenicity [42]. [100] North America USA 14,948 Phone survey All 0.4 Self-report [10] Canada 9667 Phone survey All 0.5 Self-report [101] Europe Turkey 2739 Students survey 6-9 years 0.3 Self-report [17] UK 291 Salmon processing workers 8 Occupational asthma [18] Norway 102 122…”

“…In one study, workers in fish canning and fishmeal processing were found to have occupational rhinitis in 26% and asthma in 16% [16]. The reported rate of fish-induced occupational asthma was 2% in Poland [17], 7% in South Africa [15] and 8% in the UK. [18].…”