Airborne Allergens and Their Quantification and Effect on the Development of Allergy in Occupational Environments

Abstract

This review article discusses different aspects of the measurement of airborne allergenic dusts in the work environment. Allergenic materials are present in the air of many occupational environments. Consequently, respiratory allergies, notably those of the immediate type like asthma and allergic rhinitis, are important health hazards in areas such as agriculture and food industry. To assess the risk of occupational allergy, methods are required to measure airborne concentrations of allergens. The ultimate aim would be to define safe levels of allergen concentrations. Attempts have been made, but with the exception of dust mite allergens the information is missing. Immunochemical methods based on the use of allergen-specific antibodies provide the technology to measure allergen concentrations in dust samples collected on the filter of volumetric air samplers. Concentration measurements combined with careful monitoring of the health effects associated with dust exposure is the approach to obtain reliable estimates of acceptable exposure levels of occupational allergens. Virtanen, T.I.; Mäntyjärvi, R.A.: Airborne Allergens and Their Quantification and Effect on the Development of Allergy in Occupational Environments. Appl. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 9(1):65–70; 1994.

Key Words:

• airborne dust
• allergen
• allergy
• atopy
• doseresponse
• exposure
• health effects
• measuring allergenic dust
• occupational environment
• sensitization