PMID- 19061261
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20090316
LR  - 20160325
IS  - 1232-1966 (Print)
IS  - 1232-1966 (Linking)
VI  - 15
IP  - 2
DP  - 2008
TI  - High prevalence of immunoglobulin E (IgE) sensitization among sisal (Agave 
      sisalana) processing workers in Tanzania.
PG  - 263-70
AB  - PURPOSE: Allergic sensitization among workers exposed to sisal is scarcely 
      documented. We examined whether sisal processing is associated with IgE 
      sensitization and its relationship to the prevalence of respiratory symptoms 
      among Tanzanian processors. METHODS: 138 sisal exposed workers and 78 non-exposed 
      controls were skin prick tested (SPT) using dry sisal extract and fresh sisal 
      sap. Sera from a subset of 43 participants were analyzed for total and sisal 
      specific IgE. SPT wheal size, prevalence of positive SPTs and adjusted relative 
      risk (RR) for sisal sensitization were determined and compared between exposed 
      and controls. Prevalences for respiratory symptoms were compared between 
      sensitized and non-sensitized sisal workers. RESULTS: Significantly higher 
      prevalence of positive SPTs to sisal was found among 74 % of sisal workers 
      compared to 17 % among controls. Compared to controls, the RR of sensitization to 
      sisal was 4 times higher (95 % CI; 2.4-6.7) among exposed workers. All exposed 
      workers had elevated IgE levels (>100 kU/l) and 27 % of tested sera had elevated 
      sisal specific IgE. A high prevalence of respiratory symptoms was found in both 
      sensitized and non-sensitized sisal workers. CONCLUSION: Sisal processing is 
      associated with increased risk of IgE sensitization, but its clinical implication 
      is not obvious.
FAU - Kayumba, Akwilina V
AU  - Kayumba AV
AD  - Research Group on Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public 
      Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Kalfarveien 31, Bergen, Norway. 
      akwilina.kayumba@gmail.com
FAU - Van-Do, Thien
AU  - Van-Do T
FAU - Florvaag, Erik
AU  - Florvaag E
FAU - Bratveit, Magne
AU  - Bratveit M
FAU - Baste, Valborg
AU  - Baste V
FAU - Mashalla, Yohana
AU  - Mashalla Y
FAU - Eduard, Wijnand
AU  - Eduard W
FAU - Moen, Bente E
AU  - Moen BE
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PL  - Poland
TA  - Ann Agric Environ Med
JT  - Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM
JID - 9500166
RN  - 0 (Air Pollutants, Occupational)
RN  - 0 (Dust)
RN  - 37341-29-0 (Immunoglobulin E)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adolescent
MH  - Adult
MH  - Agave/adverse effects/chemistry/*immunology
MH  - Aged
MH  - Aged, 80 and over
MH  - Agricultural Workers' Diseases/chemically induced/*epidemiology
MH  - Air Pollutants, Occupational/toxicity
MH  - Case-Control Studies
MH  - Cough
MH  - Dust
MH  - Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
MH  - Humans
MH  - Immunoglobulin E/*immunology
MH  - Male
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - Occupational Exposure/*adverse effects
MH  - Prevalence
MH  - Respiration Disorders/chemically induced/*epidemiology
MH  - Skin Tests
MH  - Tanzania/epidemiology
MH  - Young Adult
EDAT- 2008/12/09 09:00
MHDA- 2009/03/17 09:00
CRDT- 2008/12/09 09:00
PHST- 2008/12/09 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2009/03/17 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2008/12/09 09:00 [entrez]
AID - 15263 [pii]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Ann Agric Environ Med. 2008;15(2):263-70.