title: Determinants of specific sensitization in flour allergens in workers in bakeries with use of skin prick tests.
abstract: Baker's asthma, like other forms of occupational asthma is probably the most serious manifestation of occupational allergy among bakery workers. It is caused by immunologic sensitization and subsequent allergic reactions in the airways to occupational specific airborne allergens. Skin Prick Tests (SPTs) play an important role in the diagnosis of baker's asthma and epidemiological field studies on frequencies of sensitization to flour. This paper presents a review of the available literature on prevalence of flours sensitization in bakery workers. Atopy and level of exposure appears to be a very strong determinant for sensitization to flour allergens. Prevention strategies and standard setting are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumonology, University Hospital of Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Patouchas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sampsonas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papantrinopoulou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsoukalas
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karkoulias
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spiropoulos
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D005433:Flour / Q000009:adverse effects; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012882:Skin Tests; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000516:alpha-Amylases