BYSSINOSIS AND TUBERCULOSIS AMONG TEXTILE MILL WORKERS IN BAHAR-DAR, ETHIOPIA

A cross sectional study was conducted in 1991 on 433 workers of a cott on mill in Bahar Dar, northern Ethiopia. The study consisted of sympto m evaluation using a standardized questionnaire, lung function tests, chest x-ray, and measurement of dust concentration in the various work areas, A hundred non exposed hospital workers were included as contro l group, The overall prevalence of byssinosis among the exposed subjec ts was 45.5%, being highest among carding (57.9%) and ring frame worke rs (57.1%), Lower prevalences were found in weavers (36.7%) and those working in the preparatory unit (32.1%). Chronic bronchitis occurred i n 48.8% of workers in the carding section, and in none of the control group. Bronchial asthma occurred in 11.5% of workers in the carding an d ring frame sections, and in 28.6% of the workers in the waste sectio n, Twelve per cent of the control group had bronchial asthma. Tubercul osis was prevalent in 5.3% of the mill workers and in 2.1% of the cont rol group, Ventilatory capacity (FEV1 and FVC) was significantly reduc ed in the exposed workers (p<0.05). The study revealed that the preval ence of byssinosis and other respiratory disorders was extremely high among the cotton mill workers, In view of the above findings preventiv e measures deserve a high priority.