Health effects of exposure to thyme dust in a group of thyme growing farmers.
Medical examinations were performed in a group of 47 thyme farmers from eastern Poland while threshing thyme (Thymus vulgaris). As a reference group 63 urban dwellers were examined not exposed to organic dusts. The examinations included an interview concerning the occurrence of respiratory disorders and work-related symptoms, physical examination, lung function tests, skin prick tests with four microbial allergens and agar-gel precipitation tests with 12 antigens. 63.8% of thyme handling farmers reported occurrence of work-related symptoms while threshing thyme. The most common complaints were: blocking of the nose (reported by 18 farmers--38.3%), dry cough (14 persons--29.8%) and general weakness (13 persons--27.7%). The mean spirometric values in the farmers group were within a normal range and did not show a significant post-work decline. The farmers showed positive skin reactions to microbial antigens in the range of 4.3-14.9%, and a frequency of positive precipitin reactions 0-56.5%. The reference group responded to most allergens with a significantly lower frequency of positive results compared to the examined group. In conclusion, thyme farmers engaged in threshing this herb represent a group of elevated professional risk because of high incidence of work-related symptoms and common occurrence of positive skin and precipitin reactions to bacterial and fungal allergens associated with organic dust.
Golec
Marcin
M
Department of Occupational Biohazards, Institute of Rural Medicine, Lublin, Poland.
Skórska
Czesława
C
Mackiewicz
Barbara
B
Dutkiewicz
Jacek
J
D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011044:Poland; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D012882:Skin Tests; D013147:Spirometry; D046930:Thymus Plant / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D004391:Dust