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NIOSH Safety and Health Topic:

Asthma and Allergies

 

Millions of people suffer from allergies caused by everyday exposures to agents such as dust mites, cat dander, and pollens. Agents encountered by workers can also cause allergic problems such as asthma, nasal and sinus allergies, hives, and even severe anaphylactic reactions. Examples of these work-related agents include animal proteins, enzymes, flour, natural rubber latex, and certain reactive chemicals. Asthma is one of the more serious problems that can be caused by work-related allergy. It can cause recurrent attacks of symptoms such as wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. In severe cases, these symptoms can be disabling. Fortunately, when potential hazards are recognized, work-related allergies and asthma can often be prevented or their effects minimized.

Asthma and Allergies

3 pictures, pollen grain, cotton field worker, fireman on ladder truck

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NIOSHTIC-2 Search

NIOSHTIC-2 Search Results on Asthma and Allergies
NIOSHTIC-2 is a searchable bibliographic database of occupational safety and health publications, documents, grant reports, and journal articles supported in whole or in part by NIOSH.

Research Updates

Workplace Exacerbation of Asthma a Research Priority: NIOSH Leads Research on Workplace Exacerbation of Asthma
NIOSH is expanding partnerships and research to address emerging concerns about workplace exacerbation of asthma. This includes six articles in peer-reviewed journals, a textbook chapter, and ongoing discussions with partners about a possible international collaborative study and the development of preventive strategies.

Prevention of Occupational Asthma

Prevention of Occupational Asthma
A resource for individuals interested in occupational asthma (OA) prevention. Includes a searchable database of journal articles describing OA prevention studies; an introductory page with guidance on using the site; and a primer discussing the current and future state of OA prevention research.

NIOSH Publications

Preventing Asthma and Death from MDI Exposure During Spray-on Truck Bed Liner and Related Applications
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2006-109 (September 2006)
This Alert summarizes four case reports: one death and several incidents of asthma or other respiratory disease following exposure to MDI during spray-on truck bed lining operations.

Injury and Asthma Among Youth Less Than 20 Years of Age on Minority Farm Operations in the United States, 2000 Volume II: Hispanic National Data
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2006-109 (October 2005)
This document provides previously unavailable youth demographic, injury and asthma estimates at the national level for youth on Hispanic-operated farms in the U.S. A Hispanic is defined as any person of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin.

Asthma Among Household Youth on Hispanic Farm Operations
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-158 (June 2004)
Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood. Household farm youth comprise all youth 0-19 years of age who live on the farm and include working and non-working youth. 16-19 year olds had the highest prevalence rate for having an asthma attack while doing farm work (61 asthmatics per 1,000 youth living on Hispanic farm operations).

Asthma Among Household Youth on Minority Farm Operations
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-118 (December 2003)
In 2000, approximately 28,600 youth lived on minority farm operations. 10-15 year olds had the highest prevalence rate of asthma. Youth less than 10 years of age had the highest prevalence rate for having an asthma attack while doing farm work.

Injury and Asthma Among Youth Less Than 20 Years of Age on Minority Farm Operations in the United States, 2000; Volume I: Racial Minority National Data
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-147 (July 2005)
This document provides previously unavailable youth demographic, injury and asthma estimates at the national level for youth on racial minority operated farms in the United States. These data represent the initial step in developing research and prevention programs to reduce the burden of injury and asthma on racial minority farms in the United States.

National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA)
Asthma & Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Preventing Allergic Reactions to Natural Rubber Latex in the Workplace
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-135 (June 1997)
En Español
NIOSH Alert: Workers exposed to latex gloves and other products containing natural rubber latex may develop allergic reactions such as skin rashes; hives; nasal, eye, or sinus symptoms; asthma; and (rarely) shock.

Preventing Asthma and Death from Diisocyanate Exposure
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 96-111 (1996)
En Español
NIOSH Alert: Workers exposed to diisocyanates may develop serious or fatal respiratory disease.

Preventing Asthma in Animal Handlers
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-116 (January 1998)
En Español
Exposure to animals or animal products in the workplace can cause asthma and allergies.

Surveillance

Worker Health Chartbook 2004: Chapter 2: Fatal and Nonfatal Injuries, and Selected Illnesses and Conditions Respiratory Diseases: Work-related Asthma
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-146
Provides distribution and number of work-related Asthma cases for all four SENSOR reporting States by occupation, industry, agent or exposure.

The Work-Related Lung Disease Surveillance Report
It presents up-to-date summary tables, graphs, and figures of occupationally-related respiratory disease surveillance data on the pneumoconioses, occupational asthma and other airways diseases, and several other respiratory conditions.
  • Section 9, Asthma
    this document in PDF PDF only 234 KB (20 pages)
  • Appendix H, Work-Related Asthma Surveillance Guidelines
    this document in PDF PDF only 3136 KB (34 pages)
    Surveillance guidelines for State health departments on work-related asthma.

Related NIOSH Topics

Other Related Resources

A Descriptive Study of Work-Aggravated Asthma
Occup Environ Med. 2004 Jun;61(6):512-7, NLM website
External link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15150390

Allergy Society of South Africa (ALLSA)
Links to allergy news and journals, allergy database, more...
External link: http://www.allergysa.org/

American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)
Information for patients and professionals. Includes reports, pollen counts, more...
External link: http://www.aaaai.org/

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI)
External link: http://www.acaai.org/

Asthma Management Model System
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) website
External link: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Asthma/Asthma_WhatIs.html

ATSDR: Case Studies in Environmental Medicine (CSEM) Environmental Triggers of Asthma
One in a series of self-instructional publications designed to increase the primary care provider’s knowledge of hazardous substances in the environment and to aid in the evaluation of potentially exposed patients.
External link http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HEC/CSEM/asthma/

CDC Press Release: Asthma Rates in U.S. Increase
Information about a special CDC report entitled "Surveillance for Asthma – United States, 1960-1995."

CDC Topic Page: Asthma and Allergies

CDC Topic Page: Healthy Youth! Health Topics Asthma

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWRs)

NCEH Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Program
External link: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/default.htm

NCEH Asthma Topic Page
External link: http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/default.htm

National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Topic Page on Allergic Diseases
External link: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/allergicDiseases

National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Topic Page on Asthma
External link: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/asthma

Work-related reactive airways dysfunction syndrome cases from surveillance in selected U.S. states.
J Occup Environ Med. 2003 Apr;45(4):360-8, NLM website
External link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12708139


Page last updated: September 22, 2008
Page last reviewed: September 22, 2008
Content Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Division of Applied Research and Technology