A CLUSTER OF HEMATURIA CASES IN A PESTICIDE-MANUFACTURING PLANT

In a pesticide manufacturing and formulating facility, 10 employees ou t of 48 were shown to have haematuria on dipstick testing. They includ ed seven of the 27 production workers, all of whom had worked in both of two particular areas prior to the commencement of the routine urine testing. Five of the seven production workers with haematuria underwe nt further investigations, and in all five the haematuria was glomerul ar in origin. Two underwent renal biopsy, which showed irregular atten uation or the glomerular basement membrane (GEM) but no abnormality by light microscopy. Immunofluorescence studies were negative. This case series of glomerular haematuria is not readily explained by chance, f alse positive dipstick testing, or a recognizable non-occupational cau se. Thin GEM disease, which is a benign condition, appears the likely explanation. Thin GEM disease is usually an autosomal dominant conditi on, but clustering of these genotypes in this small population is impr obable.