Cat and dog allergy and total IgE as risk factors of laboratory animal allergy

doi:10.1016/S0091-6749(96)70088-X

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Volume 98, Issue 3, September 1996, Pages 545-554

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0091-6749(96)70088-X Get rights and content

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Laboratory animal workers are at high risk of developing occupational allergy. In many cases the severity of allergy symptoms makes further work with laboratory animals impossible. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to estimate prevalence rates of sensitization and symptoms of allergy in a population of laboratory animal workers and to determine the association between various host factors and these prevalence rates. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in 540 workers at eight facilities in the Netherlands. All participants completed a questionnaire and underwent skin prick testing with common and occupational allergens. In addition, total and specific IgE measurements were obtained. RESULTS: Prevalence rates of allergy symptoms caused by working with rats and mice were 19% and 10%, respectively. Symptoms, especially chest tightness, were strongly related to sensitization. Rat and mouse allergy, defined as symptoms of allergy accompanied by specific atopic sensitization, were highly associated with elevated total IgE, reported adverse reactions, and positive skin prick test responses to common allergens. This relationship could be explained by a response to cat or dog allergens. CONCLUSIONS: Allergy to cats or dogs seemed to be an important risk factor for laboratory animal allergy, whereas allergy to pollen or house dust mite, in the absence of cat and dog allergy, appeared to be insignificant. More conclusive evidence about cat and dog allergy preceding laboratory animal allergy can only be provided after analysis of follow-up data. (J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL 1996;98:545-54.)

Section snippets

Study population

Employees from laboratory animal facilities of four universities, two research institutes, and a pharmaceutical company and students of a laboratory school participated in the study. All subjects working with small laboratory animals or having contact with material from these animals were invited to participate. Of approximately 750 eligible subjects, 579 (77%) participated. Questionnaires were completed by 577 subjects (99.6%), 577 subjects (99.6%) provided blood samples, and 542 subjects

Prevalence rate of symptoms of allergy

Allergy symptoms (chest tightness [asthma], eye, nose, or skin symptoms) attributed to working with laboratory animals were highly prevalent among the laboratory animal workers. Most symptoms of allergy were reported by individuals working with rats. Among the 458 workers who had ever worked with rats, 86 (18.8%) reported at least one rat-related allergic symptom. Among individuals who had ever worked with mice (n = 377), at least one mouse-related allergic symptom was reported by 10.1% of the

DISCUSSION

This study is one of the largest on LAA in which symptoms and sensitization to rats and mice, measured by SPTs and specific IgE, have been studied. The overall prevalence rate of symptoms of allergy to rats in our study was 19%, which is roughly similar to prevalence rates found in other studies on rat allergy in the United States (12%⁷), United Kingdom (18%¹⁰ and 31%¹⁵), and Japan (25%¹³). The prevalence rate of mouse-related symptoms was 10% and tended to be lower than described in most other

Acknowledgements

We thank Jack Spithoven, Siegfried de Wind, Paula van Run, and Monique Leblanc for their technical assistance and all laboratory animal workers for their participation.

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^☆: From the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Agricultural University Wageningen, The Netherlands.

^☆☆: Supported by research grants from The Netherlands Asthma Foundation, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, and the European Union (contract no. BMH1-CT94-1446).

^★: Reprint requests: Dick Heederik, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Agricultural University Wageningen, P.O. Box 238, 6700 AE Wageningen, The Netherlands.

^★★: 0091-6749/96 $5.00 + 0 1/1/73136

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Cat and dog allergy and total IgE as risk factors of laboratory animal allergy☆,☆☆,★,★★

Abstract

Section snippets

Study population

Prevalence rate of symptoms of allergy

DISCUSSION

Acknowledgements

J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL

J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL

Lancet

J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL

J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL

Allergy to laboratory animals: a survey by questionnaire

Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol

Laboratory animal allergy: a clinical survey of an exposed population

Br J Ind Med

Prevalence and diagnosis of laboratory animal allergy

Clin Allergy

Occupational allergy to laboratory animals: an epidemiological study

J Occup Med

Allergy to laboratory animals in laboratory technicians and animal keepers

Br J Ind Med

Allergy to laboratory animals: a prospective study of its incidence and of the influence of atopy on its development

Br J Ind Med

Laboratory animal allergy in a pharmaceutical company

Br J Ind Med

Allergy to laboratory animals: a prospective and cross-sectional study

J Occup Med

Predisposing factors in laboratory animal allergy: a study of atopy and environmental factors

Am J Ind Med

Allergy to laboratory animals: an epidemiological study

Br J Ind Med

Sensitization to laboratory animals and small-airway hyperreactivity

Indoor Environ

Work related symptoms, sensitisation, and estimated exposure in workers not previously exposed to laboratory rats

Occup Environ Med

Smoking, atopy, and laboratory animal allergy

Br J Ind Med