title: A study on occupational asthma among workers of silk filatures in South India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The production of silk is a multidimensional and multistep process involving exposure of workers to allergens at work place. The silk allergen has been implicated in the development of bronchial asthma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the prevalence of occupational asthma (OA) and to identify sensitization to silk allergen and among workers in silk filature units.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in silk filature units of Ramanagara (Silk City) in Karnataka, South India, for a period of 6 months. One hundred and twenty workers of silk filature units who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited into the study group. For comparison, a control group comprising of 120 individuals not working in silk filature units was constituted. All the subjects were interviewed using the standardized International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (IUATLD) Questionnaire and subjected to the skin prick test, which used the extracts of silk allergen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study group comprised of 35 males and 85 females, whereas the control group comprised of 58 males and 62 females. The prevalence of occupational asthma among workers in silk filatures was 20.83%. It was observed that 35.83% of those in the study group and 20.83% of those in the control group were found to be sensitive to silk allergen. This difference was statistically significant (χ(2)= 6.64; P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a high burden of sensitization to silk allergen and occupational asthma among silk filature workers in South India.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bangalore, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Giriyanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gowda
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bangalore, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Anagha Manakari
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vijayeendra
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bangalore, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Nivedita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bangalore, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Anwith Huluvadi
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Shivalingaiah
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bangalore, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Ankita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bangalore, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Abhiram Gopal
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Ashwathnarayana
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bangalore, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Huliraj
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Narayanaswamy
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bangalore, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Chitra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nagaraj
keywords: Occupational asthma; silk allergen sensitivity; skin prick test