title: Allergic asthma caused by exposure to bacterial alpha-amylase Termamyl®.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Airborne enzymes behave as potent respiratory allergens. Till date, allergic disorders caused by genetically engineered enzymes widely used in the industry, have not been reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We describe a worker employed in the detergent industry who developed asthma and rhinitis from IgE-mediated sensitization to the thermostable endo-alpha-amylase Termamyl® and to the protease Savinase®. This is the first report showing that Termamyl® elicits allergic respiratory disorders in humans.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. baur@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: Xaver
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Baur
authors.forename: Lygia Therese
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Budnik
authors.forename: Gottfried
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: von Kirchbach
mesh_terms: D059366:Asthma, Occupational / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D003902:Detergents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000009:adverse effects; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D003902:Detergents; D000516:alpha-Amylases; C582722:termamyl; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C032923:microbial serine proteinases