Premium
Mechanism of occupational asthma due to Western red cedar ( Thuja plicata )
Author(s) -
ChanYeung Moira
Publication year - 1994
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.4700250106
Subject(s) - occupational asthma , medicine , thuja , asthma , histamine , occupational disease , allergy , immunology , population , antibody , environmental health , botany , biology
Occupational asthma due to Western red cedar is the most common form of occupational asthma in the Pacific Northwest and affects 4–13.5% of the exposed population. It has been shown to be caused by plicatic acid, a low molecular weight compound present uniquely in the wood. The mechanism of asthma induced by plicatic acid is not known, as specific IgG antibodies were found only in about 20% of patients. Sera from patients with red cedar asthma failed to passively sensitize human Iung fragments of human basophils. Basophils from patients with this disease released histamine when challenged directly with plicatic acid in a specific manner. Immunologic mechanisms other than Type I hypersensitivity reaction are likely to be involved. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.