Experience in the Diagnosis of Occupational Allergic Rhinitis

Summary

Allergic rhinitis may be considered as an occupational disease in the Czech Republic since 1996. The authors analyzed 34 casesof rhinitis having been diagnosed as occupational diseases in the South-Moravian region in the years 1996-97. The diseaseaffected 25 women and 9 men at the average age of 36.9 ± 10.3 years. The average duration of exposure to the etiological noxa inoccupational environment was 7.6 ± 8.1 years. The most frequent causes were flour, grain dust and textile fibres. The mostfrequently affected occupations were in food processing, particularly bakers, but also employees of the animal production workingwith feed-stuffs. More than a half of the patients (20/34) were also found to suffer from occupational asthma. The evaluation ofoccupational origin was particularly based on quality case history data, otolaryngological examination, examination of the degreeof sensibilization by allergological examination and specific nasal provocation tests or the elimination and reexposure work test.An early personal placement of the affected individual to work outside the exposure to the etiological noxa or other inhalationallergens is considered necessary.

Key words:
allergy, allergic rhinitis, occupational disease