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A Study of Serum Antibody Activity in Workers with Occupational Exposure to Diphenylmethane Diisocyanate
Author(s) -
Tse K. S.,
Johnson A.,
Chan H.,
ChanYeung M.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1985.tb00242.x
Subject(s) - medicine , antibody , immunoglobulin e , asthma , immunology , sensitization , occupational asthma , asymptomatic , allergy
The prevalence of sensitization was studied in a group of 76 foundry workers with occupational exposure to diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). Ten workers had clinical evidence of asthma, 40 had non‐asthmatic respiratory symptoms, and 26 were asymptomatic. Specific IgE antibodies to MDI were found in two workers (2.6%) and specific IgG antibodies, in five workers (6.6%). The prevalence of IgE and IgG antibodies was higher in the 10 subjects with asthma than in the non‐asthmatic group. The prevalence of anti‐paratolyl‐monoisocyanate antibodies was not significantly different from that of anti‐MDI antibodies, and both haptenic determinants displayed a high degree of cross‐reactivity in the RAST inhibition test. The role of humoral immunological mechanisms in MDI‐induced asthma is unclear in view of the rather low prevalence of these serum antibodies in this group of workers.