Sensitization to wheat flour and enzymes and associated respiratory symptoms in British bakers

Abstract

The combination of health surveillance and exposure control in this population has been insufficient to prevent clinically significant workplace sensitization. Smoking may pose an additional risk factor for sensitization in atopic workers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:133-140, 2009.

Prevalence and risk factors for allergic rhinitis in bakers in Douala, Cameroon

“…Atopy was associated with allergic rhinitis. While most studies show that it is a risk factor for workplace aeroallergen sensitisation in bakers,7 8 14 16 its role as a factor associated with the occurrence of respiratory symptoms in bakers was not found by all authors 15 22 25. In this study, after multivariate analysis, atopy was not associated with allergic rhinitis.…”

“…As for allergic rhinitis related to work, Houba et al 13 and Jacobs et al 14 reported 21% and 23%, respectively, in the Netherlands. Other authors reported higher prevalence of around 25% to 35% 15 16. This study had found 15.3% of work-related allergic rhinitis.…”

Respiratory Morbidity Induced by Occupational Inhalation Exposure to High Concentrations of Wheat Flour Dust

“…Given the above, and the fact that all important confounders were controlled and accounted for in this study, an increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm, productive cough, wheezing and dyspnea) as well as significant decrements in the parameters of pulmonary function (VC, FVC, FEV 1 , FEV 1 /FVC and PEF) may well be explained by exposure to flour dust. Consistent with other studies [3,26,27,28], respiratory symptoms were found to be significantly more prevalent among exposed subjects (Table 2). Similarly, occupational exposure to flour dust has been reported to lead to reduction of ventilatory capacities [12,13,14,15,16,17].…”

“…Sensitization to wheat allergens and fungal enzyme, α-amylase, and prevalence of occupational airway disease and occupational asthma, has been shown to be high among workers exposed to flour dust [1,3,5,6]. Flour dust is a heterogeneous substance with respiratory sensitizing properties and long-term exposure may cause acute or chronic respiratory disease [7,8].…”

“…Exposure to flour dust and its related allergens is one of the most prevalent causes of occupational airway disease and occupational asthma in Western Europe [1,2,3,4]. Sensitization to wheat allergens and fungal enzyme, α-amylase, and prevalence of occupational airway disease and occupational asthma, has been shown to be high among workers exposed to flour dust [1,3,5,6].…”