title: Risk of enzyme allergy in the detergent industry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of enzyme sensitisation in the detergent industry.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study was conducted in a detergent factory. Sensitisation to enzymes was examined by skin prick and radioallergosorbent (RAST) tests. 76 Workers were tested; 40 in manufacturing, packing, and maintenance, and 36 non-exposed people in management and sales departments. The workers were interviewed for work related respiratory and skin symptoms. Total dust concentrations were measured by a gravimetric method, and the concentration of protease in air by a catalytic method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine workers (22%) were sensitised to enzymes in the exposed group of 40, whereas none were sensitised in the non-exposed group. All the sensitised people had symptoms at work; all had rhinitis and one had asthma. Protease concentrations were generally < 20 ng/m3, but occasional peak values up to 80 ng/m3 were detected in the packing and maintenance tasks, and high values of > 1 microgram/m3 in the mixing area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the use of encapsulated enzyme preparations, high enzyme concentrations in workplace air are possible, resulting in a higher risk of sensitisation than expected.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. Markku.Vanhanen@occuphealth.fi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vanhanen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tuomi
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tiikkainen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tupasela
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Voutilainen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nordman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003902:Detergents; D004798:Enzymes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007221:Industry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015995:Prevalence; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D003902:Detergents; D004798:Enzymes