Epidemiological studies and case reports of occupational asthma due to seafoods
| Agent | Occupation | Subjects (n) | Asthma prevalence (%) | Other symptoms |
Skin prick or intradermal test (% positive) |
Other immunologic evidence (% positive) | Specific bronchoprovocation test (% positive) | Other evidence | ||||||||
| Epidemiological studies and case reports of occupational asthma due to arthropods: | ||||||||||||||||
| Crab | King crab processors12 64 | 186 | 13% | ND | 60% (of random sample of 15) | Precipitins: 60% of 15 | ND | Across shift spirometry | ||||||||
| 825 | Incidence of 2%/month | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ||||||||||
| Snow crab processors18 65 | 303 | 16% | Rhinitis, skin rash, conjunctivitis | 22% | ND | 72% (of 46 tested) | PEFR + PC20 | |||||||||
| 107 | Incidence of 2%/6 weeks | Rhinitis | ND | RAST: 6–8% | ND | Spirometry | ||||||||||
| Rock crab processors66 | 29 | 7% | Rhinitis, conjunctivitis | 25% | ND | 14% (of 14 tested) | PC20 | |||||||||
| Prawn | Prawn processors19 | 50 | 36% | Rhinitis, itchy eyes and hands | 26% | RAST: 16% | 100% (of 2 tested) | ND | ||||||||
| Precipitins: 62% | ||||||||||||||||
| Shrimp or clam | Processors36 | 56 | 2% | Rhinoconjunctivitis | 16% | RAST: 14% | 67% (of 3 tested) | PC20 | ||||||||
| 4% | 5% | RAST: 7% | ||||||||||||||
| Shrimpmeal | Technician67 | 1 | NA | Rhinitis | Positive for shrimp | RAST: positive for shrimp, crab | Positive for shrimp | ND | ||||||||
| Lobster or shrimp | Fishmonger68 | 1 | NA | Rhinitis, hay fever, urticaria | Positive for lobster, shrimp, crab | RAST: positive for shrimp, lobster, crab, crawfish | Positive for lobster, shrimp | ND | ||||||||
| Lobster | Chef69 | 1 | NA | Urticaria | Positive for lobster, haddock, scallops, oyster, clam, cod | ND | Positive for lobster | PC20 | ||||||||
| Epidemiological studies and case reports of occupational asthma due to molluscs: | ||||||||||||||||
| Cuttle fish | Deep sea fishermen70 | 66 | Incidence of 1%/y | Dermatitis, conjunctivitis | ND | ND | ND | ND | ||||||||
| Fishermen71 | 50 | ND | Rhinitis, urticaria, eczema | ND | ND | ND | Spirometry | |||||||||
| Mussel (?) | Mussel openers72 | 224 | 20%–23% | ND | ND | ND | ND | Across shift PEFR | ||||||||
| Mussel or crustaceans | Cook73 | 1 | NA | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ||||||||
| Cuttle fish bone | Jewellery polisher74 | 1 | NA | Urticaria | Positive | ND | Positive | ND | ||||||||
| Clam | Cancer drug researcher75 | 1 | NA | Rhinitis | Positive | ND | Positive | ND | ||||||||
| Oyster (mother of pearl) | Souvenir maker76 | 1 | NA | Rhinitis, conjunctivitis | Anaphylactic reaction to mother of pearl | Precipitins: negative to mussel, oyster, mother of pearl | ND | ND | ||||||||
| Abalone | Fisherman77 | 1 | NA | ND | ND | ND | Positive | ND | ||||||||
| Epidemiological studies and case reports of occupational asthma due to Pisces (bony fish): | ||||||||||||||||
| Salmon | Fish processors20 | 291 | 8% | Rhinitis | ND | RAST: 9% of all positive | ND | PEFR | ||||||||
| precipitins: 33% of all positive | ||||||||||||||||
| Trout (?) | Fish processors37 | 8 | NA | Rhinitis | ND | RAST: 100% of all positive | ND | PEFR + PC20 | ||||||||
| Anti-endotoxin Ab: 13% | ||||||||||||||||
| Fishmeal | Fishmeal processors78 | 51 | 2% | Skin rash, rhinitis | 23% to mix of pickling, cod, plaice, tunny, salmon, herring, sardine | Precipitins: 100% negative to cod, herring, sardine, plaice | 100% (of 1 tested) for fishmeal | Nasal Provocation test | ||||||||
| Various fish (plaice, salmon, hake, sardine, anchovy, tuna, trout, sole, pomfret) | Fish processors79 | 2 | NA | Rhinoconjunctivitis | 100% to all species | RAST: 100% of 2 positive to trout, anchovy, and salmon | 100% (of 2 tested) for hake tuna, plaice salmon | PEFR + PC20 | ||||||||
| Yellowfin fish | Dried fish processors80 | ND | ND | Rhinitis, dermatitis | ND | ND | ND | Spirometry | ||||||||
| Epidemiological studies and case reports of occupational asthma due to other agents associated with seafood: | ||||||||||||||||
| Hoya (Sea squirt) | Oyster farm workers30 | 1413 | 29% | Rhinoconjunctivitis | 82% of 511 with asthma | RAST: 89% of 180 with asthma positive | 82% (of 17 tested) | ND | ||||||||
| Precipitins: negative | ||||||||||||||||
| Anisakis | Fishermen/fishmonger29 | 28 | 18% | Urticaria, angioedema | 46% | RAST: 50% positive | ND | ND | ||||||||
| Red soft coral | Spiny lobster fishermen81 | 72 | 9% | Rhinitis, dermatitis, conjunctivitis | 2 of 2 with asthma positive to soft coral | RAST: 1 of 2 positive to soft coral, lobster | ND | ND | ||||||||
| Daphnia | Fish food store keepers82 | 2 | NA | ND | 100% | ND | 100% | ND (of 2 tested) | ||||||||
| Marine sponge | Laboratory grinder83 | 1 | NA | Urticaria | ND | RAST: positive to D herbacea, other sponge, soft corals | ND | Asthma attack at work | ||||||||
| Precipitins: positiveD herbacea | ||||||||||||||||
| HRT: positive toD herbacea | ||||||||||||||||
NA=not applicable; ND=not done; RAST=specific IgE; PEFR=peak expiratory flow rate; PC20=methacholine/histamine challenge test; HRT=histamine release test.