Occupational asthma in a Senegalese car sprayer: diagnostic and medicolegal problems

The industrial development policy adopted by African countries since their independence has contrasted with the relative rarity of occupational asthma in workers exposed to different situations and substances known to generat e occupational asthma. Asthma occurring in a Senegalese car sprayer had per sisted for twenty years before the irs,work-related nature was recognised. This observation demonstrates the need for: 1. Education to make health care personnel, as well as workers and employer s, more aware of the clinical aspects of asthma. Educational programs shoul d include diagnostic and preventive measures for respiratory occupational d iseases including occupational asthma. 2. A registration system for occupational diseases so rite occupational nat ure of diseases can acquire legal recognition. 3. Cooperative efforts between general practioners, occupational physicians , physiologists and lung specialists in order to create reference laborator ies where tests can be performed to confirm the diagnosis of occupational a sthma, a disease which has not yet been included on the list of occupationa l diseases.