Allergic Sinusitis and Severe Asthma Caused by Occupational Exposure to Locust Bean Gum: Case Report

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bascom R ; Cummings, Kristin J. ; Dimmock AE ; Hawley B ; Mohammed M
• Description:
  We present a case that highlights the difficulties with diagnosis and the dangers of occupational allergic sinusitis and asthma left unrecognized. We describe the case history of a man who experienced work-related symptoms 1 year after beginning work as a cheesemaker at a creamery, and whose respiratory symptoms progressively worsened over 16 years before an occupational cause of his asthma was identified. His initial discrete episodes of sinusitis and acute bronchitis evolved into persistent asthma of increasing severity with exacerbations requiring repeated emergency room treatment. The case described in our report emphasizes the importance of clinician diagnosis of OA, and subsequent removal from exposure, such that asthma severity does not progress to near-fatal or fatal asthma in the sensitized worker. As demonstrated by this case report, identification of an occupational cause of asthma relies on a high degree of suspicion and excellent detective work by the clinician. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Asthma, Occupational Hypersensitivity Irritants Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  Allergens Allergic Reactions Allergies Author Keywords: Asthmagen Carob Bean Gum Locust Bean Gum Occupational Asthma Respiratory Health Respiratory System Disorders Severe Asthma
• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  RHD - Respiratory Health Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  60
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20049771
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 2017 Jul; 60(7):658-663
• Contact Point Address:
  Brie Hawley, MS, PhD, Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1095 Willowdale Rd, MS H-2800, Morgantown, WV 26505
• Email:
  ygd2@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a004864ad1fa159fdd0eccf05b31067b0e3d265af53901d2884db8610dfe4894d9cdee3b666987b340b3e130885a371befb212ec3f9567592d00ee11232762a8
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/210409/cdc_210409_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 389.54 KB ]