Respiratory disease in tea workers in Sri Lanka.
Blending of different grades of tea is a very dusty process which exposes workers to a fine fluff. One hundred and twenty-five tea blenders with an average service of 22.9 years in the industry were interviewed according to a standard questionnaire, and submitted to a clinical and radiographical examination. The examination was repeated eight and 31 months later. A total of 46 workers (36%) had respiratory illness, 31 had chronic bronchitis (24.8%), eight had asthma (6.4%), and seven had active or inactive pulmonary tuberculosis (5.6%). The prevalence of chronic bronchitis and asthma was more than that expected in the general population. It is suggested that these two conditions are aetiologically related to long-term exposure to tea fluff.
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000209:etiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013662:Tea; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000209:etiology
D004391:Dust; D013662:Tea