Work-related skin symptoms and type I allergy among eastern-Polish farmers growing hops and other crops.
73 eastern-Polish farmers growing hops and other crops were examined. They were questioned by a dermatologist and subsequently skin prick-tested with allergens of hops, grain dust, straw dust, hay dust, storage mites, and antigens of microorganisms typical for farm environment.


RESULTS
14 farmers (19.2%) complained of work-related skin symptoms, caused most often by hops (11%), followed by grain (5.6%), hay (5.5%) and straw (4.1%). Five farmers (6.8%) complained of hand dermatitis, four (5.5%) of airborne dermatitis, and eight (11.0%) of pruritus. In two farmers, two skin diseases co-existed. The skin symptoms were mostly mild, however, one case of severe invalidating airborne dermatitis to hops was found. On skin prick tests, 14 farmers (19.2%) showed positive skin reaction to at least one allergen; 5.5% of farmers reacted to grain dust, 5.5% to straw dust, 11% to hay dust, and 8.2% to hops. Tests with storage mites showed positive reactions to Acarus siro in 9.6%, Lepidoglyphus destructor in 17.8%, and to Tyrophagus putrescentiae in 13.7%. Tests with microbial allergens elicited positive reactions to Pantoea agglomerans in 4.1%, Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula in 4.1%, Aspergillus fumigatus in 4.1% and to Streptomyces albus in 1.4% of farmers. Although results of skin prick tests in general did not correlate well with the work- related skin symptoms, in three of 14 farmers with skin symptoms the tests results played a crucial role in identifying the cause of their work-related skin disease.
Spiewak
R
R
Instytut Medycyny Wsi, ul. Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090 Lublin, Poland. spiewak@galen.imw.lublin.pl
Gòra
A
A
Dutkiewicz
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D002188:Cannabis / Q000276:immunology; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008925:Mites / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011044:Poland; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D012882:Skin Tests
D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust