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• Response to a case of occupational asthma due to the enzymes phytase and ß-glucanase
  Andreas Zober
  Published on: 14 August 2001

• Published on: 14 August 2001

  Response to a case of occupational asthma due to the enzymes phytase and ß-glucanase

  • Andreas Zober

  Dear Editor,

  In their recent short report,[1] O'Connor et al. describe a case of occupational asthma due to the enzymes phytase and ß-glucanase. Their patient experienced asthma-like symptoms at work (wheezing and cough), had positive skin prick tests and specific IgE to both enzymes (by radioallergosorbent test), and reacted to both materials in separate inhalation challenge tests. None of 22 other employees in...

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  Dear Editor,

  In their recent short report,[1] O'Connor et al. describe a case of occupational asthma due to the enzymes phytase and ß-glucanase. Their patient experienced asthma-like symptoms at work (wheezing and cough), had positive skin prick tests and specific IgE to both enzymes (by radioallergosorbent test), and reacted to both materials in separate inhalation challenge tests. None of 22 other employees in the same factory were reported to have experienced respiratory symptoms at work1.

  In a German language paper presented at the 38th Annual Meeting of the German Association of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in 1998,[2] we reported findings of a systematic clinical investigation of 49 research and development (R+D) employees working with the enzymes phytase and xylanase. This investigation was undertaken after detecting airway sensiti-sation to phytase-containing dusts in two analytical laboratory employees.

  Forty nine employees with potential enzyme contact completed a question-naire and underwent physical examination and lung function testing. Among 32 employees with findings of conjunctivitis, rhinitis, or bronchitis, further immunologic tests were undertaken on a voluntary basis (skin prick test, n = 17; specific IgE by enzyme allergosorbent test (EAST), n = 31). In addi-tion, nasal provocation challenge tests were performed in 13 employees, including all eleven with a positive skin prick test to phytase. Nine of these employees had a positive specific IgE test to phytase as well. All eleven had a positive nasal challenge response to phytase. The positive response rate was 62.5% among eight employees considered to have the highest potential exposure. Based on this investigation, it was concluded that phytase has a high sensitising potency. In this regard our assessment is consistent with those of O'Connor et al and Doekes et al.[1] [3]

  After implementation of extensive control measures to prevent enzyme expo-sure in this R+D facility, all employees now report being free of work-related respiratory symptoms. This favorable experience is in agreement with the the-sis that enzyme-related asthma can be avoided by implementing best practice procedures for health surveillance and environmental control when working with enzymes.[4]

  A ZOBER
  K STRASSBURGER
  Occupational Medical and Health Protection Department
  BASF Aktiengesellschaft
  67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany

  X BAUR
  University of Hamburg
  22083 Hamburg, Germany

  References

  (1) O'Connor TM, Bourke JK, Jones M, et al. Report of occupational asthma due to phytase and ß-glucanase. Occup Environ Med 2001;58:417-19.
  (2) Straßburger K, Bossert J, Baur X, et al. Sensibilisierung durch die Enzyme Phytase and Xylanase. In: Hallier E, Bünger J, eds. Dokumentationsband über die 38. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Arbeitsmedizin und Umweltmedizin. Lübeck: 1998:525-7 (ISBN: 3-7900- 0302-6).
  (3) Doekes G, Kamminga N, Helwegen L, et al. Occupational IgE sensitisation to phytase, a phosphatase derived from Aspergillus niger. Occup Environ Med. 1999;56:454-9.
  (4) Nicholson PJ, Newman Taylor AJ, et al. Current best practice for the health surveillance of enzyme workers in the soap and detergent industry. Occup Med. 2001;51:81-92.

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  Conflict of Interest:
  None declared.

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