Occupational allergy to birds within the population of Polish bird keepers employed in zoo gardens

• Authors: Sylwia Świderska-Kiełbik , Anna Krakowiak , Marta Wiszniewska , Ewa Nowakowska-Świrta , Jolanta Walusiak-Skorupa , Konrad Śliwkiewicz , Cezary Pałczyński

Abstracts

EN

Objectives: To evaluate the risk factors for the development of occupational allergy to birds among Polish zoo garden keepers. Methods: A total of 200 bird zookeepers employed in the Polish zoo gardens in Łódź, Warsaw, Gdańsk, Chorzów and Płock and exposed occupationally to bird allergens were examined using a questionnaire, skin prick tests (SPTs) to common allergens and bird allergens, spirometry and cytograms of nasal swab. The level of total IgE in serum and serum-specific IgE to parrot, canary, pigeon feathers and serum were also evaluated. Results: Eight percent of bird zookeepers were sensitized to at least one of the bird allergens. The most frequent allergens yielding positive SPT results were D. farinae - 32 cases (16%), D. pteronyssinus - 30 cases (15%) and grass pollens (16.5%). In the studied group, allergen-specific IgE against bird allergens occurred with the following frequency: 87 (43.5%) against canary feathers and/or serum, 80 (40%) against parrot feathers and/or serum and 82 (41%) against pigeon feathers and/or serum. Occupational allergy was diagnosed in 39 (26.5%) cases, occupational rhinitis was present in 22 (15%) cases, occupational asthma in 20 (13.6%) subjects, occupational conjunctivitis in 18 (12.2%) cases, whereas occupational skin diseases in 11 (7.5%) cases. More eosinophils were found in nose swab cytograms among bird zookeepers with occupational airway allergy. Conclusions: The findings indicate that occupational allergy to birds is an important health problem among zoo bird keepers in Poland.

Keywords

EN

allergens; birds; allergy; occupational exposure

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2011
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 292-303

Dates

published

2011

Contributors

author

Sylwia Świderska-Kiełbik

• Department of Occupational Diseases and Toxicology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland

author

Anna Krakowiak

• Department of Occupational Diseases and Toxicology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland
• Toxicology Unit, Department of Occupational Diseases and Toxicology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland

author

Marta Wiszniewska

• Department of Occupational Diseases and Toxicology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland

author

Ewa Nowakowska-Świrta

• Department of Occupational Diseases and Toxicology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland

author

Jolanta Walusiak-Skorupa

• Department of Occupational Diseases and Toxicology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland

author

Konrad Śliwkiewicz

• Department of Occupational Diseases and Toxicology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland

author

Cezary Pałczyński

• Department of Occupational Diseases and Toxicology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland
• Centre of Occupational Allergy and Environmental Health, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/s13382-011-0027-x

Biblioteka Nauki

2185387