Respiratory symptoms and skin reactivity in workers exposed to proteolytic enzymes in the detergent industry.

A survey of 98 workers in the detergent industry exposed periodically to high concentrations of proteolytic enzymes indicated that symptoms suggestive of asthma developed in 50 per cent on exposure either within one-half hour, after four or five hours, or at night. Immediate (prick) and five-hour (intradermal) cutaneous reactions to the enzymes were not significantly more frequent in the symptomatic (72 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively) than in the asymptomatic subjects (56 per cent and 24 per cent). By contrast, there was a highly significant association between skin reactions to the enzyme and to three common inhalant allergens. With the exception of a history of food and drug allergy, a personal or family history of atopic manifestations did not influence the likelihood of development of symptoms, nor did smoking habit or current, clinical evidence of bronchitis. The findings suggest that symptomatic bronchial reactions in persons exposed to a potent sensitizing and chemically active material are...