A CASE OF OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA IN A CHRYSANTHEMUM GROWER

Abstract

A case of occupational asthma in a 36 year old female chrysanthemum grower is reported. She was engaged in growing chrysanthemums in vinyl plastic hothouses and shipping them to the market all year round. During her 11 year of employment she developed allergic rhinitis, followed by symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis and bronchial asthma, The symptoms occurred when she engaged in such work as bundling cut flowers and removing excess leaves, but spontaneous remission occurred when she was away from work. The results of intradermal test, conjunctival test and PK reaction using chrysanthemum pollen extract were all positive, and when a munite amount of pollen was placed on the mucous membrane of the inferior turbinate so that it would be inhaled, it immediately induced rhinitis and slight asthmatic symptoms. Hyposensitization therapy using the pollen extract proved to be highly effective. However, review of her work routine led us to conclude that she was not being directly exposed to pollen. Instead, she was being sensitized by inhalation of hairs (trichome) on the leaves and stem of the flower and, once sensitized, allergic symptoms were induced by the inhalation of hairs and pollen.