IgE sensitization to bacterial and fungal biopesticides in a cohort of Danish greenhouse workers: the BIOGART study.
BACKGROUND
The use of biopesticides in agriculture may implicate new risks of work-related allergic reactions.


METHODS
Sera were tested from the BIOGART project, a longitudinal respiratory health study among >300 Danish greenhouse workers. IgE was measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with extracts of biopesticide products containing Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) or Verticillium lecanii (Vert).


RESULTS
Many sera had detectable IgE to BT (23-29%) or Vert (9-21%). IgE titers from the 2- and 3-year follow-up (n=230) were highly correlated, with discordant results in <15%. IgE titers to different BT, or to different Verticillium products were also significantly correlated (both r >0.70), whereas IgE anti-BT and anti-Verticillium showed no correlation at all.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to these microbial biopesticides may confer a risk of IgE-mediated sensitization. In future research there is a need to identify allergenic components in the preparations, perform studies on non-exposed controls and analyze the relation between sensitization and health parameters.
Doekes
Gert
G
Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, University Utrecht, The Netherlands. g.doekes@iras.uu.nl
Larsen
Preben
P
Sigsgaard
Torben
T
Baelum
Jesper
J
D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000276:immunology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000276:immunology* / Q000506:poisoning; D020172:Verticillium / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D010575:Pesticides; D007073:Immunoglobulin E