title: Screening for atopy in a coffee processing factory.
abstract: Screening for blood IgE mediated allergy (atopy) by the RAST technique among 76 people working in a coffee processing factory showed rather unexpected findings: although we found a prevalence of positivity (17.1%) to the common airborne antigens (pollens, mites, cat, Alternaria tenuis) which was close to the prevalence of atopy among normal adults in our area (19.3%), only one case of allergy to green coffee and two cases to castor bean came to the fore. Specific IgG4 antibodies were measured only for castor bean and green coffee, and rather elevated figures were found: green coffee 17.1%, castor bean 13.1%. The occurence of positive RASTs to castor bean is more likely to be due to contamination of the bags containing green coffee. The low prevalence of RAST positivities to green coffee, and the elevated specific IgG4 antibodies to both castor bean and green coffee antigens, raise several possibilities which are discussed; however, all the subjects but one having elevated specific IgG4 levels to green coffee worked in more exposed areas. Probably IgG4 antibodies in this particular case are acting as blocking antibodies.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Panzani
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Falagiani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Delord
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mercier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D003069:Coffee / Q000009:adverse effects; D005511:Food Handling; D005658:Fungi; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D008925:Mites; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011058:Pollen; D015995:Prevalence; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012276:Ricin / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D003069:Coffee; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D037121:Plant Lectins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D012276:Ricin