Occupational Allergy in Healthcare Workers

Abstract

Occupational healthcare may expose to various allergens and irritants. Thus, the allergic manifestations in nursing staff are frequent and their prevalence is increasing all over the world. In fact, many new substances continuously appear in the medical practices. These allergic manifestations include a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms such as ocular, nasal and especially bronchial symptoms, which can be isolated or associated. These diseases can be a source of many problems related to the occupational aptitude. All these conditions justify prevention procedure strengthening, which mainly consist in substituting the sensitizing agents, and applying collective and individual prevention measures. This article also refers to some patents on the treatment of allergy.

Piperacillin-tazobactam anaphylaxis: a rare cause of occupational disease

“…This question was several times reconfirmed and this is a strength compared to the previously published report where occupational sensitization was assumed only based in occupational exposure (8). Technical prevention is based on risk elimination, possibly replacing products or substances responsible for allergic manifestations to non-sensitizing agents (2). Allergic risk prevention is essential, and must be rapidly implemented to prevent incapacitating occupational diseases.…”

“…It can occur by various routes, and contact with spilled drugs and powder or foam inhalation are the most common (4). Cutaneous sensitization is often fast, in weeks or months (2), and was probably enhanced in this patient by a damaged skin barrier leading to local and systemic immune responses (17). Clearly identified risk factors for drug-induced anaphylaxis, like female sex or concurrent medications, do not include professional exposure (1), although some studies point out that HCP seem to have an increased risk of penicillin allergy (18,19).…”

“…Penicillin was in the past DIA most frequent cause, but was recently surpassed by amoxicillin (1). Healthcare professionals (HCP) are exposed to a large number of substances that act as allergens and/or irritants (2). These allergenic substances were known to cause contact dermatitis, but nowadays a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations like asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis and anaphylaxis is also included (2).…”

Molecular profile of sensitization in subjects with short occupational exposure to latex

“…The main source of workplace exposure is use of powdered latex gloves by healthcare workers. In studies on hospital personnel, latex sensitivity was found to be 3-5 times higher among nurses and doctors than among personnel not involved in patient care [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. The prevalence of latex allergy in healthcare settings is reported to be affected by several factors, including atopy [21][22][23], frequency of glove use, prior or current hand dermatitis and also the long exposure-times when working in hospitals [24][25][26][27].…”

Epidemiology, Sociodemographic Factors and Comorbidity for Allergic Rhinitis, Asthma, and Rhinosinusitis Among 15 to 65-year-Old Iranian Patients

“…Interestingly, the present study found that the likelihood of AR, asthma, and ARS among health care workers was much lower. One explanation is that tolerance to various allergens and irritants could occur in an occupational environment (46).…”