PROSPECTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGIC EVALUATION OF LABORATORY-ANIMAL ALLERGY AMONG UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES

Objectives: Evaluation of incidence and risk factors for development o f laboratory animal allergy (LAA) among new hires previously, unexpose d to lab animals. Methods: Baseline, 6-month and yearly follow-up, que stionnaires, pulmonary functions, and methacholine challenges were col lected from 98 never-before occupationally exposed and 90 control labo ratory researchers. The two groups were followed between 6 and 36 mont hs. Results: Ar baseline, these were no differences in atopy, pulmonar y functions, or methacholine reactivity between the two groups. The in cidence of work related asthma was comparable in the two groups, appro ximately 2.5% at 6 months and 4.5% at 24 months. The rate of decline i n FEV1 was statistically significantly greater in the animal-exposed t han nonanimal-exposed workers, and animal-exposed smokers' FEV1 declin ed significantly more rapidly than any other groups.Conclusion: Despit e the low incidence of laboratory-animal allergy and work-related asth ma in this group, this study corroborates previously described interac tion between smoking and animal exposure. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.