Prevalence of asthma and wheezes among snow crab workers in western Japan: a cross-sectional study

Watanabe, Masanari; Kurai, Jun; Sano, Hiroyuki; Kitano, Hiroya; Shimizu, Eiji

doi:10.2152/jmi.63.74

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The edible crab processing plant used more automated processing, and measurements in the workers’ breathing zones showed higher levels of allergens in the edible crab plant compared to the king crab plants. Several studies on seafood processing workers have found a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms [7,39–41]. This supports the view that workers in crab processing industries are at increased risk of developing respiratory symptoms and may have more respiratory problems than non-exposed controls.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

Lung function and prevalence of respiratory symptoms in Norwegian crab processing workers

Thomassen

Aasmoe

Bang

et al. 2017

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

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Background: Seafood processing workers have an increased risk of developing occupational asthma. This has not been studied among Norwegian crab processing workers, nor has the respiratory health of exposed workers been compared to a control group. Objectives: Assessing the impact of working in the crab processing industry on workers’ respiratory health. Design: A cross-sectional study of the respiratory health in two types of crab processing workers compared to a control group. Methods: The study included 148 king crab (Paralithodes c amtschaticus) workers, 70 edible crab (Cancer pagurus) workers and 215 controls. Workers answered a questionnaire and performed spirometry measurements. χ2 and Fishers exact tests were performed on self-reported respiratory symptoms. Regression analyses and t-tests were used to assess lung function values. Results: Self-reported respiratory symptoms were higher among crab processing workers compared to controls, and higher among king crab workers compared to edible crab workers. There was no significant difference between crab processing workers and controls in lung function measurements. Self-reported doctor-diagnosed asthma prevalence was highest in the control group. Conclusions: Increased respiratory symptoms reported by crab processing workers were not reflected in impaired lung function values or asthma diagnose. We suggest a healthy worker effect among crab processing workers in Norway.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

Lung function and prevalence of respiratory symptoms in Norwegian crab processing workers

Thomassen

Aasmoe

Bang

et al. 2017

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

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“…Subsequent to a detailed review published earlier, 1 a 12% prevalence of asthma was found in snow crab workers in Japan. 9 Few studies have also demonstrated dose-response relationships between seafood allergen exposure and occupational asthma. 8 , 10 Seasonal work disproportionally undertaken by women and im/migrant workers has also become increasingly important for the industry.…”

Section: Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposures and Health Effects of Bioaerosols in Seafood Processing Workers - a Position Statement

Bønløkke

Bang

Aasmoe

et al. 2019

Journal of Agromedicine

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Occupational hazards exist in the processing of seafood both in land-based facilities as well as on board vessels. Recent findings on occupational injury and respiratory health risks among seafood processing workers were presented and discussed at the IFISH5 conference. Particular emphasis was put on the challenges that im/migrant workers encounter, the greater risks onboard factory vessels, especially where processing machinery are retrofitted to older vessels not primarily designed for this purpose, and the difficulties in assessing and preventing bioaerosol exposures and associated respiratory health risks despite recent advances in characterising agents responsible for allergic and non-allergic reactions. Based on appraisal of existing knowledge in the published literature and new findings presented at the conference, recommendations for immediate actions as well as for future research have been proposed. Among these include the importance of improving extraction ventilation systems, optimising machinery performance, enclosure of bioaerosol sources, improved work organization, and making special efforts to identify and support the needs of im/migrant workers to ensure they also benefit from such improvements. There is a need for studies that incorporate longitudinal study designs, have improved exposure and diagnostic methods, and that address seafood processing in countries with high seafood processing activities such as Asia and those that involve im/migrant workers worldwide. The medical and scientific community has an important role to play in prevention but cannot do this in isolation and should cooperate closely with hygienists, engineers, and national and international agencies to obtain better health outcomes for workers in the seafood industry.

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“…However, 36.6% of king crab workers and 29.3% of edible crab workers reported respiratory symptoms, which is higher than what has been found in previous studies including a population study in southern Norway (38) as well as studies in the snow crab industry (4,39). Sensitization and upper respiratory symptoms have been found to precede the development of more serious health problems such as asthma and allergy (40,41).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Occupational Allergic Sensitization Among Workers Processing King Crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) and Edible Crab (Cancer pagurus) in Norway and Identification of Novel Putative Allergenic Proteins

et al. 2021

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Introduction: Asthma and allergy occur frequently among seafood processing workers, with the highest prevalence seen in the crustacean processing industry. In this study we established for the first time the prevalence of allergic sensitization in the Norwegian king- and edible crab processing industry and characterized the IgE-reactive proteins.Materials and Methods: Two populations of crab processing workers participated; 119 king crab and 65 edible crab workers. The investigation included information on work tasks and health through a detailed questionnaire. Allergic sensitization was investigated by crab-specific IgE quantification and skin prick tests (SPT) to four in-house prepared crab extracts; raw meat, cooked meat, raw intestines and raw shell. Allergen-specific IgE binding patterns were analyzed by IgE immunoblotting to the four allergen extracts using worker serum samples. Total proteins in crab SPT extracts and immunoblot-based IgE binding proteins were identified by mass spectrometric analysis.Results: Positive SPTs were established in 17.5% of king- and 18.1% of edible crab workers, while elevated IgE to crab were demonstrated in 8.9% of king- and 12.2% of edible crab processing workers. There was no significant difference between the king and edible crab workers with respect to self-reported respiratory symptoms, elevated specific IgE to crab or SPT results. Individual workers exhibited differential IgE binding patterns to different crab extracts, with most frequent binding to tropomyosin and arginine kinase and two novel IgE binding proteins, hemocyanin and enolase, identified as king- and edible crab allergens.Conclusions: Occupational exposure to king- and edible crabs may frequently cause IgE mediated allergic sensitization. Future investigations addressing the diagnostic value of crab allergens including tropomyosin and arginine kinase and the less well-known IgE-binding proteins hemocyanin and enolase in a component-resolved diagnostic approach to crab allergy should be encouraged.

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Prevalence of asthma and wheezes among snow crab workers in western Japan: a cross-sectional study

Cited by 5 publications

References 29 publications

Lung function and prevalence of respiratory symptoms in Norwegian crab processing workers

Lung function and prevalence of respiratory symptoms in Norwegian crab processing workers

Exposures and Health Effects of Bioaerosols in Seafood Processing Workers - a Position Statement

Occupational Allergic Sensitization Among Workers Processing King Crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) and Edible Crab (Cancer pagurus) in Norway and Identification of Novel Putative Allergenic Proteins

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