Which agents cause occupational asthma and which workers are at risk?

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The most frequently reported agents include isocyanates, flour and grain dust, colophony and fluxes, latex, animals, aldehydes and wood dust.

Evidence

Ameille J, Pauli G, CalastrengCrinquand A et al , Reported incidence of occupational asthma in France , J Occup Environ Med , 2003 ; 60 : 136-41

Brhel P , Occupational respiratory diseases in the Czech Republic , Ind Health , 2003 ; 41 : 121-123

Cortona G, Pisati G, Dellabianca A et al , Allergopatie professionali respiratorie: l'esperienza delle Unita Operative Ospedaliere di Medicina del Lavoro in Lombardia dal 1990 al 1998. [Respiratory occupational allergies: the experience of the Hospital Operative Unit of Occupational Medicine in Lombardy from 1990 to 1998] , G Ital Med Lav Ergon , 2001 ; 23 : 64-70

Gannon PFG, Burge PS , The SHIELD scheme in the West Midlands Region, United Kingdom , Br J Ind Med , 1993 ; 50 : 791-796

McDonald JC, Keynes HL, Meredith SK , Reported Incidence Of Occupational Asthma In The United Kingdom 1989-97. , Occup Environ Med , 2000 ; 57 : 823-829

Meredith SK, Taylor VM, McDonald JC , Occupational respiratory disease in the United Kingdom 1989: a report to the British Thoracic Society and the Society of Occupational Medicine by the SWORD project group , Br J Ind Med , 1991 ; 48 : 292-298

Meyer JD, Holt DL, Cherry NM et al , SWORD '98: surveillance of work-related and occupational respiratory disease in the UK , Occup Med (London) , 1999 ; 49 : 485-489

Sallie BA, Ross DJ, Meredith SK et al , SWORD '93. Surveillance of work-related and occupational respiratory disease in the UK , Occup Med (London) , 1994 ; 44 : 177-182

Toren K, Jaervholm B, Brisman J et al , Adult-onset asthma and occupational exposures , Scand J Work Environ Health , 1999 ; 25 : 430-435