Original scientific paper

Respiratory and immunological changes in tea workers

E. Žuškin ; Škola narodnog zdravlja »Andrija Štampar« Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
B. Kanceljak ; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Z. Skurić ; Škola narodnog zdravlja »Andrija Štampar« Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb
M. Tonković-Lojović ; Poslovna zajednica zdravstva grada Zagreba, Zagreb, Hrvatska
M. Mataija ; Škola narodnog zdravlja »Andrija Štampar« Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
N. Turčić ; Dom zdravlja SUP, Zagreb, Hrvatska

Abstract

Respiratory function was examined in 100 female workers employed in the production of different types of tea (gruzyan, sage, dog rose, indian and chamomile) and in 84 female control workers. The prevalence of almost all chronic respiratory symptoms was significantly higher in workers processing dog rose, sage and gruzyan tea than in the control group. During work shift there were significant mean acute reductions in maximal expiratory flow rates at 50% and 25 % of the vital capacity on maximum expiratory flow-volume curves (FEF50: 4.l-8.8%;FEF25: 7.8-21.8%) except in workers exposed to chamomile. Acute reductions in FEY1 were considerably smaller and not significant. The immunological status was examined in 26 tea workers and in 17 control workers. Skin tests with tea allergens demonstrated the highest percentage of positive reaction to sage (45%), gruzyan tea (40%) and dog rose (10%). Among the control workers, 23% had a positive skin reaction to sage, 19 % to gruzyan tea and 11 % to dog rose and indian tea. Serum levels of total IgE were elevated in 27 % of the tea workers and in 17% of the control subjects.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

152759

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/152759

Publication date:

25.4.1989.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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