OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA IN A LATEX DOLL MANUFACTURING PLANT

Background: Occupational asthma caused by later has been reported in h ealth care workers and workers in glove manufacturing plants. Objectiv e: We report occupational asthma from later in a newly identified occu pational setting, a latex doll manufacturing plant. Methods: We evalua ted an index case of asthma associated with work in a Inter doll manuf acturing plant by performing a workplace challenge and evaluating the work environment. We then performed an occupational survey and skin te sting of 22 workers in the doll manufacturing plant. Results: The pati ent, a 21-year-old woman, had severe immediate bronchospasm within min utes of beginning a workplace challenge where sanding of latex parts w as performed. Two of 22 workers surveyed (including the patient) repor ted flushing, rhinoconjunctivitis, and wheering on exposure to sanded doll parts. These two workers were the only subjects surveyed to have a history of atopy and positive immediate-type skin test responses to a raw later extract and to common aeroallergens. Conclusions: Sanding or grinding of solid later during the manufacturing process may result in a significant incidence of occupational asthma and rhinoconjunctiv itis from later sensitization. Atopic workers appear to be most suscep tible to developing latex sensitivity in this setting.