Abstract

Background:
Diesel exhaust exposure may cause acute irritant induced asthma, and potentiate allergen induced asthma. There are no previous reports of occupational asthma due to diesel exhaust.

Aim:
To describe occupational asthma with latency in workers exposed to diesel exhaust in bus garages

Methods:
The Shield database of occupational asthma notifications in the West Midlands, UK was searched between 1990 and 2006 for workers where diesel exhaust exposure was thought to be the cause of the occupational asthma. Those without other confounding exposures whose occupational asthma was validated by serial peak expiratory flow analysis using Oasys software were included.

Results:
15 workers were identified with occupational asthma attributed to diesel exhaust. Three had validated new-onset asthma with latency. All worked in bus garages where diesel exhaust exposure was the only likely cause of their occupational asthma. Occupational asthma was confirmed by measures of non-specific reactivity and serial measurements of peak expiratory flow with Oasys scores of 2.9, 3.73 and 4 (positive score >2.5).

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Comments

I served in the military working in a motor pulled where I was exposed to diesel exhause for a period of 3 yeras. soon after i left the military i was disagnosed with asthma is this possible.

1/7/2013

The cause of the asthma has to there when asthma starts. If your asthma really started after leaving the military any exposure in the military is unlikely to be the cause

1/7/2013