Isocyanate exposure and hypersensitivity pneumonitis--report of a probable case and prevalence of specific immunoglobulin G antibodies among exposed individuals.
A car painter experienced three episodes of a hypersensitivity pneumonitis-like disease after exposure to two-component acrylic lacquers with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) as the curing agent. High titers of HDI-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies were found in the patient's serum by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In the ELISA, 5 to 10% of the sera from 455 isocyanate-exposed but asymptomatic workers were positive, depending on the criterion used for a positive test, whereas 0% of the sera from 157 unexposed referents was found to be positive. Among 10 subjects with isocyanate-induced asthma and isocyanate-specific IgE antibodies, 50% had specific IgG. It was concluded that the presence of isocyanate-specific IgG antibodies in serum is correlated with isocyanate exposure rather than with symptoms of isocyanate-induced disease.
Department of Occupational Medicine, Orebro Medical Center Hospital, Sweden.
A I
AI
Seldén
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L
Belin
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U
Wass
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000542:Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology; D003485:Cyanates / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D017953:Isocyanates; D007764:Lacquer / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology; D010150:Paint / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003485:Cyanates; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D017953:Isocyanates; C015262:1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate