title: [Rhinitis and asthma in a cleaner of laboratory animal facilities].
abstract: After 15 years as a cleaner of laboratory animal facilities, a 59-year-old woman developed rhinitis and then mild asthma. One of her main job tasks was manual cleaning of cages. Her symptoms appeared shortly after an automatic cage washer was introduced where she placed dirty cages upside down, some of them above her head. There was serological evidence of sensitisation to rat epithelium. Peak expiratory flow monitoring suggested occupational asthma, and metacholine test confirmed bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
authors.affiliation: Arhus Universitetshospital, Aalborg Sygehus, Arbejdsmedicinsk Klinik. swsve@as.aaa.dk
authors.forename: Susanne Wulff
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Svendsen
authors.forename: Øyvind
authors.initials: Ø
authors.lastname: Omland
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D017750:Animal Technicians; D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D051381:Rats; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens