Asthma and baker's allergy: experience with health programs

• Published in: Giornale italiano di medicina del lavoro ed ergonomia Vol. 33; no. 1; p. 20
• Main Author: Cirla, A M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Italian
• Published: Italy 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Asthma - diagnosis; Asthma - epidemiology; Asthma - etiology; Asthma - immunology; Asthma - prevention & control; Asthma - therapy; Biomarkers - blood; Bread; Desensitization, Immunologic - methods; Early Diagnosis; Flour - adverse effects; Food Handling; Humans; Immunoglobulin E - blood; Immunologic Factors - blood; Italy - epidemiology; Occupational Diseases - diagnosis; Occupational Diseases - epidemiology; Occupational Diseases - etiology; Occupational Diseases - immunology; Occupational Diseases - prevention & control; Occupational Diseases - therapy; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Prevalence; Quality of Life; Rhinitis - etiology; Skin Tests; Triticum - adverse effects; Triticum - immunology; Italy
• ISSN: 1592-7830

Wheat flour sensitization may lead to several occupational diseases: persistent rhinitis, intermittent or persistent asthma, conjunctivitis, urticaria, and contact dermatitis. The main allergenic components of wheat have been identified, the prevalent mechanism is IgE-mediated, the worsening after starting of sensitization shows the characters of the "allergy march" till the respiratory functional impairment and disability. Nowadays the occupational rhinitis is the first important step to begin to start prevention, but its relevance is also for quality of life of subjects. Data about the prevalence of the sensitization in Italy seem to be spread, ranging from 4% to 24% in the literature and till 32% in a recent our investigation. A complete and early diagnosis is essential to manage the allergic bakers, aiming relocation in their own activity. A specific immunotherapy by allergenic vaccine has been studied and it is now possible. In our experience 43 bakers and pastry makers were treated by the same vaccine (Lofarma Laboratories, Milan) and revalued after many years; 83% were still at work and 70% claimed only poor or no-symptoms during work, in any way with a tolerable condition. At present the baker's disease may be managed by included interventions "man-environment" avoiding the extreme choice of leaving the working activity. The Lombardy Government published specific Guide Lines on the prevention and proposed a planned project for three years, to be adopted according to local needs in collaboration with the public health service.