期刊名称：Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine
印刷版ISSN：1232-1966
电子版ISSN：1898-2263
出版年度：2000
卷号：7
期号：02
出版社：Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Lublin
摘要：Medical examinations were performed in a group of 51 Polish farmers
heavily exposed to flax dust during harvesting and scutching (threshing) and in a group
of 50 healthy urban dwellers not exposed to organic dusts (controls). The examinations
included: interview concerning the occurrence of respiratory disorders and work-related
symptoms, physical examination, X-ray examination of chest, lung function tests,
oxymetric examinations, determination of the concentration of cytokines (IL-.,/-6,
71). LQEORRGVHUXPDQGDOOHUJRORJLFDOWHVWVZLWKPLFURELDODQWLJHQVDVVRFLDWHGZLWK
organic dust, comprising: skin prick test with 4 antigens, agar-gel precipitation test with
12 antigens and test for specific inhibition of leukocyte migration with 4 antigens. As
many as 32 farmers (62.7%) reported the occurrence of work-related symptoms during
harvesting, transporting and scutching of flax. The most common complaint was general
weakness reported by 15 farmers (29.4%), followed by headache reported by 14
(27.5%), blocking of the nose - by 11 (21.6%), dry cough, shivering, and eyes itching -
each by 10 (19.8%), chest tightness and hoarseness - each by 9 (17.6%). No control
subjects reported these work-related symptoms. The mean spirometric values in the
examined group of farmers were within a normal range and did not show a significant
post-shift decline. In contrast, a significant post-shift decline of oxymetric values was
found among flax farmers.The farmers showed a frequency of the positive early skin
reactions to environmental allergens in the range of 0–19.6%, a frequency of positive
precipitin reactions in a range of 0–56.9.%, and frequency of positive reactions of
leukocyte migration inhibition in a range of 7.8–21.6%. The members of the control
group responded to the majority of allergens with a significantly lower frequency of
positive results compared to the farmers. Elevated concentrations of IL-.DQG,/-6, but
QRW71). were found in blood sera of flax farmers. In conclusion, farmers engaged in
harvesting and scutching of flax represent a group of elevated professional risk because
of high incidence of work-related symptoms and high frequency of allergic reactions to
bacteria and fungi associated with organic dust.
