Occupational enzyme allergy can be prevented

Published online: June 21, 2019

When industrial enzymes were first introduced in the 1960’s and 1970’s, they caused many exposed workers to become allergic with symptoms of occupational asthma and allergic rhinitis.

In a recent article of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice the occupational doctor Larsen and colleagues from Denmark present data from 50 years of a surveillance program for enzyme workers. More than 5000 persons were monitored with a total exposure time of 50,000-man years.

Enzyme allergies were most frequent in smokers and highly exposed persons, but importantly and in spite of increased production volumes, a dramatic reduction in new cases were seen especially after year 2000, when occupational hygiene measures were intensified.

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice is an official journal of the AAAAI, focusing on practical information for the practicing clinician.

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