D. Heederik

Wheat antigen exposure assessment for epidemiological studies in bakeries using personal dust sampling and inhibition ELISA

Background Asthma in bakery workers caused by exposure to wheat flour proteins is an important occupational health problem. Until recently, gravimetric dust measurements were the only available technique for quantitative exposure assessment in bakeries. However, it is questionable whether dust levels are a good exposure parameter or only give a crude approximation of the actual flour allergen concentration.

Exposure of laboratory animal workers to airborne rat and mouse urinary allergens.

Background Laboratory animal workers are at high risk of developing occupational allergy. Little is known about the relationship between levels of exposure and the risk of developing laboratory animal allergy. Since laboratory animal work comprises a large number of different — often short lasting — tasks, it is of interest to assess which activities are associated with high. low or intermediate levels of allergen exposure. Objective To develop and evaluate highly sensitive immunoassays in order to quantify rat and mouse urinary allergens in airborne dust sampled during short‐lasting tasks.

Airborne levels of α-amylase allergens in bakeries

Abstract Background: In the baking industry the use of enzymes has increased throughout the 1980s. Several studies have reported sensitization and respiratory disorders among bakery workers caused by enzymes in dough improvers. Fungal α-amylase is the most frequently reported cause of allergy. α-Amylase allergen exposure levels in the bakery industry, however, have not yet been reported. Objective: The main objective of this study was to quantify personal α-amylase exposure levels of bakery workers. Methods: α-Amylase allergens were measured in 507 personal samples of airborne dust taken in bakeries by using a newly developed sandwich enzyme immunoassay with affinity-purified polyclonal rabbit IgG antibodies. A cascade impactor was used to estimate the size of dust particles carrying α-amylase allergens. Results: The rabbit IgG antibodies used in the assay showed, in immunoblotting with commercially available α-amylase, a reaction profile very similar to that of IgE from sensitized bakers. The enzyme immunoassay appeared to be highly specific for fungal amylase. Allergen exposure levels varied considerably among bakery workers, depending on the type of bakery and job category (range, 0 to 40 ng/m 3 ). In confectioneries no α-amylase allergens were detected. In other bakeries α-amylase exposure was only found for workers directly involved in dough making. Measurements of the particle size distribution in these bakeries showed that α-amylase allergens are most likely to be deposited in the nose and ciliated airways. Conclusion: This study shows that personal monitoring of fungal amylase allergen exposure in bakeries is possible. This permits the identification of high-risk tasks and allergen sources, as well as the study of exposure-response relationships. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997;99:286-92.)