Occupational allergens

Abstract

Occupational agents are important in a significant number of respiratory diseases. More than 250 occupational substances have been reported to cause occupational asthma. Occupational allergens are the subset of agents causing occupational diseases through an IgE-mediated mechanism. These allergens may be classified as being of either high or low molecular weight. The more common occupational allergens and the industries at increased risk of exposing workers to these agents are discussed.

Industrial Fungal Enzymes: An Occupational Allergen Perspective

“…OA has been defined as either irritant induced or immune mediated [6, 7]. Immunologically mediated OA accounts for approximately 90% of cases [9], but the severity of disease is dependent on the concentration, route, agent of exposure, and the latency period [6, 7]. Both high- and low-molecular-weight antigens can induce OA, but the immunological mechanisms are distinctly different.…”

“…Both high- and low-molecular-weight antigens can induce OA, but the immunological mechanisms are distinctly different. High-molecular-weight allergens are generally proteins that are greater than 5 kDa, and production of immunoglobulin E (IgE) results in the release of mediators from mast cells and eosinophils [6, 7]. …”

“…More than 250 high-molecular-weight allergens that induce OA have been identified [4, 6, 7]. Many are derived from animals or plants, and exposure usually involves mixtures of many proteins [4, 6].…”

“…Many are derived from animals or plants, and exposure usually involves mixtures of many proteins [4, 6]. Occupations where high-molecular-weight allergens have been characterized include seafood processing (tropomysin), dairy, poultry, citrus, greenhouse, baking, healthcare (latex), pharmaceutical (drugs), and detergent manufacturing (fungal enzymes) [6]. Some of the best examples of high-molecular-weight occupational allergens are the fungal enzymes.…”

Validation of a mouse model of chemical-induced asthma using trimellitic anhydride, a respiratory sensitizer, and dinitrochlorobenzene, a dermal sensitizer

“…1 More than 250 agents are known to be capable of causing occupational asthma, and more will be recognized in the future. 2 The prevalence of occupational asthma in various occupational cohort studies depends on the agent or agents to which the workers are exposed, the level of exposure, 3 and, to a lesser degree, host susceptibility factors, such as cigarette smoking, atopy, and other genetic factors. 4 Occupational asthma is characterized by reversible airway obstruction, airway inflammation, and nonspecific airway hyperreactivity causally related to exposure to an agent present in the workplace.…”