Search
industrial agents that can cause asthma
An estimated 15% of newly diagnosed cases of asthma are from workplace exposure.
Etiology:
1) salts of platinum, nickel & chromium
2) wood dust
a) mohagany
b) oak
c) redwood
d) plicatic acid in western red cedar
3) vegetable dusts
a) castor bean
b) cotton dust
c) cottonseed
d) wheat & rye flour (bakers, millers)
e) mite & weevil antigens in grain
f) green coffee
g) gums
1] guar (carpets, adhesives)
2] acacia (inks)
3] karaya (food, hairdessers)
h) garlic
i) psyllium (pharmaceutical)
j) flaxseed
k) linseed
l) cereal grains
m) soybeans
n) tobacco
4) industrial chemicals & plastics
a) ethylene diamine
b) anhydrides
1] phthalic anhydride (plastics, drugs, chemicals)
2] trimellitic anhydride (epoxy resins, plastics)
3] hexahydrophthalic anhydride (epoxy & alkyl resins)
4] tetrachlorothalic anhydride (epoxy & alkyl resins)
5] himic anhydride (fire retardants)
c) polyvinyl chloride
d) diisocyanates
1] toluene diisocyanate (urethane)
2] methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (urethane)
3] hexamethylene diisocyanate (paints)
e) platinum salts
f) dyes
g) sulfonechloramide or chloramine-T (janitorial workers, disinfectant)
h) piperazine (pharmaceutical)
i) glutaraldehyde (health care workers)
i) phenylglycine acid chloride (pharmaceuticals)
j) persulfate salts (cosmetics)
k) ethylenediamine (cosmetics, plastics, rubber)
l) triethylene tetramine (epoxy resins)
5) pharmaceutical agents
a) phenylglycine acid chloride
b) penicillins
c) spiramycin
d) tetracycline
e) alpha-methyldopa
6) food industry agents
a) egg protein
b) polyvinyl chloride
7) enzymes
a) enzymes in Bacillus subtillus (laundry detergents)
b) pancreatic enzymes (pharmaceutical)
c) fungal amylase (Bakers, dough conditioners)
d) trypsin (hog) (pharmaceutical)
8) animals
a) canine or feline saliva
b) horse dander
c) rodent urine
9) invertebrates
a) prawns
b) crabs
c) grain mites (granary workers, farm workers, dock workers)
d) foul mites (poultry workers)
e) mealworms (bait, grain workers)
10) latex (health care workers)
a) latex proteins are aerosolized with corn starch glove powder
b) powderless gloves reduce latex aerosolized dispersal
References
- Mayo Internal Medicine Board Review, 1998-99, Prakash UBS (ed)
Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia, 1998, pg 15
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American
College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998