J Agric Med Community Health.  2015 Dec;40(4):240-249. 10.5393/JAMCH.2015.40.4.240.

The Sensitization Rates for Inhaled Allergens by Skin Prick Test among Some Farmers in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea

• Kim H
• Lee JH
• Roh SY
• Lee H
• Kwon SC
• Lee SJ

• KMID: 2135549
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5393/JAMCH.2015.40.4.240

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Farmers are known to be exposed to a variety of allergens related to the work environment. This study was conducted to determine the sensitization rates as well as South Korea that they are sensitized to certain allergens farmers through the skin prick test.
METHODS
By targeting a total of 1143 people living in the rural town of Gyeonggi Province, it was conducted a questionnaire containing demographic and occupational risk factors and underwent skin prick tests with 15 types of allergens(including positive and negative controls). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between occupational risk factors and skin prick test positivity.
RESULTS
Except for the 30 people whose result is invalid, positive rate of the skin prick test was 18.6% in 1,113 people. The species of house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae was the highest at 8.7% and 8.6%. After adjusted by age, gender, smoking and education level, odds ratio of flower plant farmers is 4.467(95% CI: 2.094-9.527) and fruit farmer is 2.275(95% CI: 1.096-4.721). In addition, the rate of sensitization to grass pollen mixture of the flower plant farmers is significantly higher(15.9%, p<0.001) than other allergens.
CONCLUSIONS
Even farmers, the rate of sensitization to allergens related to the general environment, such as house dust mite is relatively dominant. However, given the presence of potential cross-reactivity between the allergens or distribution showed that the unique aspects of allergen sensitization in the flower growers, occupational cause is not be completely ruled out.

Keyword

Agriculture,; Occupational Diseases; Skin Tests

MeSH Terms

Allergens*
Dermatophagoides farinae
Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
Education
Flowers
Fruit
Gyeonggi-do*
Korea*
Logistic Models
Occupational Diseases
Odds Ratio
Plants
Poaceae
Pollen
Pyroglyphidae
Risk Factors
Skin Tests
Skin*
Smoke
Smoking
Allergens
Smoke