title: Prevalence of occupational allergy in medical researchers exposed to laboratory animals.
abstract: Allergy to laboratory animals is a well known occupational hazard and remains a health concern for individuals in contact with lab animals. This study evaluates the prevalence of allergy symptoms among medical researchers exposed to laboratory animals. We analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey, involving subjects (n=169, 21-59 yr), working in Kochi Medical School, Japan. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire to evaluate symptoms related to contact with laboratory animals. The overall response rate was 86.2%. The prevalence of laboratory animal allergy was 17.6%. The symptoms most reported were allergic rhino-conjunctivitis and asthma. A small number of the subjects received education on the allergy issue and 62.5% of subjects with an allergy to laboratory animals claimed to have atopy. Protection from animal allergens should be a high priority for institutions using lab animals; providing continuous education to animal handlers would be meaningful to reduce and control exposure.
authors.affiliation: Division of Social Medicine, Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan.
authors.forename: Basilua Andre
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Muzembo
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eitoku
authors.forename: Yuta
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inaoka
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oogiku
authors.forename: Mitomo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawakubo
authors.forename: Ryuta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: Momoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takechi
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirabayashi
authors.forename: Naofumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Nlandu Roger
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Ngatu
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Bernardus
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sandjaya
authors.forename: Narufumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suganuma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017750:Animal Technicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory; D035843:Biomedical Research; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult