title: [Risk management of soybean-related asthma: monitoring and surveillance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Allergen emissions during soybean unloading operations in the Barcelona harbor have caused asthma epidemics. The present article aimed to describe the surveillance and control measures carried out by the public health services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were extracted from control systems from 1999 to 2009, with description of the surveillance schemes for allergen emissions, environmental concentrations (with defined reference levels) and for health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 95 studies of plant emission, four were above the reference levels, and filters were found to be the most likely cause. Mean environmental concentrations were low but were above the reference levels on 13 days; these levels were related to adverse meteorological conditions and incidents in the plants. No health effects were detected in the panel of patients nor epidemic asthma days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The system detects incidents and has shown its usefulness in protecting public health.
authors.affiliation: Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. jrvillal@aspb.cat
authors.forename: Joan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Villalbí
authors.forename: Dolors
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carrascal
authors.forename: Joan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Caylà
authors.forename: Pau
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: M A Jesús
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Josep M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pintó
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003132:Commerce; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004391:Dust; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D005511:Food Handling / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D019649:Food Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008004:Licensure; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D008685:Meteorological Concepts; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012308:Risk Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013025:Glycine max / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013030:Spain; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust