OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA INDUCED BY ANISEED

This report deals with clinical and immunologic studies in a butcher w ith work-related asthma. Both the positive methacholine inhalation tes t and the significant changes observed in PEFR measurements supported the diagnosis of asthma. The significant fall observed in PEFR measure ments when the patient handled aniseed supported the diagnosis of occu pational asthma. Skin prick tests carried out with 13 spices showed po sitive reactions only to aniseed extract. The patient had high levels of specific antianiseed IgE antibodies. The bronchial challenge test w ith an aniseed extract showed an immediate response without a late res ponse. These findings suggest that the respiratory symptoms in our pat ient were induced by the inhalation of aniseed dust through an IgE-med iated immunologic mechanism of immediate hypersensitivity. This study established the diagnosis of occupational asthma from aniseed dust sen sitization.