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IgE sensitization to bacterial and fungal biopesticides in a cohort of Danish greenhouse workers: The BIOGART Study
Author(s) -
Doekes Gert,
Larsen Preben,
Sigsgaard Torben,
Baelum Jesper
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20086
Subject(s) - biopesticide , medicine , sensitization , immunoglobulin e , verticillium dahliae , immunology , toxicology , pesticide , biology , agronomy , antibody
Background The use of biopesticides in agriculture may implicate new risks of work‐related allergic reactions. Methods Sera were tested from the BIOGART project, a longitudinal respiratory health study among >300 Danish greenhouse workers. IgE was measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with extracts of biopesticide products containing Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) or Verticillium lecanii (Vert). Results Many sera had detectable IgE to BT (23–29%) or Vert (9–21%). IgE titers from the 2‐ and 3‐year follow‐up (n = 230) were highly correlated, with discordant results in <15%. IgE titers to different BT, or to different Verticillium products were also significantly correlated (both r > 0.70), whereas IgE anti‐BT and anti‐Verticillium showed no correlation at all. Conclusions Exposure to these microbial biopesticides may confer a risk of IgE‐mediated sensitization. In future research there is a need to identify allergenic components in the preparations, perform studies on non‐exposed controls and analyze the relation between sensitization and health parameters. Am. J. Ind. Med. 46:404–407, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.