Source: Annual Congress 2002 - Epidemiology of asthma, rhinitis and allergy
Disease area: Airway diseases, Respiratory infections

Abstract

In order to reduce the exposure of workers and the general population to pesticides these have gradually been replaced by microbiological pesticides (MP). Among these are insecticidal bacteria as Bacillus thuringiensis (B.th.), fungi as Verticillium lecanii (V.l.), and Trichoderma harzianum (Tr.h.) which is a competitive inhibitor of plant pathogenic fungi. The effects on humans of the use of these MP are not well known. Therefore a study was carried out to evaluate the health effects on workers in greenhouses at an early stage in the use of the products. From other trades it is known that high concentrations of bacteria or fungi can lead to respiratory diseases.
A 3- years follow-up study started in 1997 on greenhouse workers in 31 different enterprises in which the three different MPs were used to a varying extent. The subjects were examined annually with interview about working conditions and health with emphasis on respiratory complaints. Besides, skin prick tests to standard aero-allergens, spirometry, and histamine challenge were made, and blood was drawn for IgE-antibodies against the three MP.
456 workers were included in the first round in 1997 and 316 of these were reexamined in 1998-9 where 123 new participants were added, 350 were reexamined in 2000 and 340 in the last follow-up in 2001.
The present paper reports data of the 316 persons from the 1. year follow up incl.: exposure profile of MP, respiratory and generel symptoms, lung function and specific IgE in relation to exposure.
In conclusion the preliminary results did not show any effects on the workers of the three microbiological pesticides. However, more definite results may rise from the results of the last two years follow-up.

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Citations should be made in the following way:
P. Larsen, T. Sigsgaard, G. Doekes, J. Baelum (Odense, Aarhus, Denmark; Utrecht, The Netherlands). Results from a 1-year follow-up study of the health effects of three type of microbiological pesticides. Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 811

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