PMID- 10379004
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 19990729
LR  - 20181113
IS  - 0091-6765 (Print)
IS  - 0091-6765 (Linking)
VI  - 107
IP  - 7
DP  - 1999 Jul
TI  - Immune responses in farm workers after exposure to Bacillus thuringiensis 
      pesticides.
PG  - 575-82
AB  - Although health risks to pesticides containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have 
      been minimal, the potential allergenicity of these organisms has not been 
      evaluated. Therefore, a health survey was conducted in farm workers before and 
      after exposure to Bt pesticides. Farm workers who picked vegetables that required 
      Bt pesticide spraying were evaluated before the initial spraying operation (n = 
      48) and 1 and 4 months after (n = 32 and 20, respectively). Two groups of low- (n 
      = 44) and medium- (n = 34) exposure workers not directly exposed to Bt spraying 
      were also assessed. The investigation included questionnaires, nasal/mouth 
      lavages, ventilatory function assessment, and skin tests to indigenous 
      aeroallergens and to a variety of Bt spore and vegetative preparations. To 
      authenticate exposure to the organism present in the commercial preparation, 
      isolates from lavage specimens were tested for Bt genes by DNA-DNA hybridization. 
      Humoral immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody responses to 
      spore and vegetative Bt extracts were assayed. There was no evidence of 
      occupationally related respiratory symptoms. Positive skin-prick tests to several 
      spore extracts were seen chiefly in exposed workers. In particular, there was a 
      significant (p < 0.05) increase in the number of positive skin tests to spore 
      extracts 1 and 4 months after exposure to Bt spray. The number of positive skin 
      test responses was also significantly higher in high (p < 0.05) than in low- or 
      medium-exposure workers. The majority of nasal lavage cultures from exposed 
      workers was positive for the commercial Bt organism, as demonstrated by specific 
      molecular genetic probes. Specific IgE antibodies were present in more 
      high-exposure workers (p < 0.05) than in the low and medium groups. Specific IgG 
      antibodies occurred more in the high (p < 0.05) than in the low-exposure group. 
      Specific IgG and IgE antibodies to vegetative organisms were present in all 
      groups of workers. Exposure to Bt sprays may lead to allergic skin sensitization 
      and induction of IgE and IgG antibodies, or both.
FAU - Bernstein, I L
AU  - Bernstein IL
AD  - Division of Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati 
      College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. bernstil@email.uc.edu
FAU - Bernstein, J A
AU  - Bernstein JA
FAU - Miller, M
AU  - Miller M
FAU - Tierzieva, S
AU  - Tierzieva S
FAU - Bernstein, D I
AU  - Bernstein DI
FAU - Lummus, Z
AU  - Lummus Z
FAU - Selgrade, M K
AU  - Selgrade MK
FAU - Doerfler, D L
AU  - Doerfler DL
FAU - Seligy, V L
AU  - Seligy VL
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PT  - Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
PL  - United States
TA  - Environ Health Perspect
JT  - Environmental health perspectives
JID - 0330411
RN  - 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)
RN  - 0 (Immunoglobulin G)
RN  - 37341-29-0 (Immunoglobulin E)
SB  - IM
MH  - Antibodies, Bacterial/blood
MH  - Bacillus thuringiensis/*immunology/isolation & purification
MH  - Humans
MH  - Immunoglobulin E/blood
MH  - Immunoglobulin G/blood
MH  - Mouth/microbiology
MH  - Nasal Mucosa/microbiology
MH  - *Occupational Exposure
MH  - *Pest Control, Biological
MH  - Skin Tests
PMC - PMC1566654
EDAT- 1999/06/24 00:00
MHDA- 1999/06/24 00:01
PMCR- 1999/07/01
CRDT- 1999/06/24 00:00
PHST- 1999/06/24 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 1999/06/24 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 1999/06/24 00:00 [entrez]
PHST- 1999/07/01 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - sc271_5_1835 [pii]
AID - 10.1289/ehp.99107575 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Environ Health Perspect. 1999 Jul;107(7):575-82. doi: 10.1289/ehp.99107575.