Snow crab allergy and asthma among Greenlandic workers – a pilot study
Objectives. To study snow crab sensitization, occupational allergy and asthma in the snow crab industry in Greenland, as high rates have been found in Canada, but no reports have emerged from the same industry in Greenland. Study design. Pilot survey. Methods. Twenty workers (19 of Inuit and 1 of ot...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:26689cfdc8f34bada11be2acc419dd91 2023-05-15T15:11:23+02:00 Snow crab allergy and asthma among Greenlandic workers – a pilot study Jakob Hjort Bønløkke Denyse Gautrin Torben Sigsgaard Samuel B. Lehrer Karim Maghni André Cartier 2012-08-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v71i0.19126 https://doaj.org/article/26689cfdc8f34bada11be2acc419dd91 EN eng Taylor & Francis Group http://www.circumpolarhealthjournal.net/index.php/ijch/article/view/19126/pdf_1 https://doaj.org/toc/2242-3982 doi:10.3402/ijch.v71i0.19126 2242-3982 https://doaj.org/article/26689cfdc8f34bada11be2acc419dd91 International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Vol 71, Iss 0, Pp 1-8 (2012) occupational allergy occupational asthma organic dusts sensitizers crustacea Anisakis Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 article 2012 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v71i0.19126 2022-12-31T16:05:00Z Objectives. To study snow crab sensitization, occupational allergy and asthma in the snow crab industry in Greenland, as high rates have been found in Canada, but no reports have emerged from the same industry in Greenland. Study design. Pilot survey. Methods. Twenty workers (19 of Inuit and 1 of other origin) in a snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) and Atlantic shrimp (Pandalus borealis) processing plant in Greenland were assessed with skin prick tests (SPTs) with common aeroallergens and specific allergens from snow crab and shrimp extracts, spirometry, blood sampling for total IgE and specific IgE determination. Eighteen workers contributed a questionnaire-based medical interview. Results. Positive skin prick test reactions were common to snow crab (40%) and shrimp (20%). Specific IgE to snow crab were positive in 4 workers (21%). Two workers had elevated total IgE levels. Symptoms suggestive of asthma were common (45%). Work-related symptoms of skin rash, rhinitis, and/or conjunctivitis were reported by 50%, and symptoms from the lower airways by 39%. Combining history of work-related symptoms with results from specific SPTs and/or specific IgE determination suggested that 11 and 22% of workers suffered from probable and possible occupational asthma, respectively, whereas 22% had possible occupational dermatitis or rhinitis. Conclusions. Greenlander Inuit do not appear to be protected against sensitization to snow crab or shrimp when occupationally exposed to these. This pilot study suggests that occupational allergy and asthma may be as common a problem in Greenlandic workers as in Canadian. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Chionoecetes opilio Circumpolar Health Greenland greenlander* greenlandic International Journal of Circumpolar Health inuit Pandalus borealis Snow crab Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Canada Greenland International Journal of Circumpolar Health 71 1 19126 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
occupational allergy occupational asthma organic dusts sensitizers crustacea Anisakis Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
spellingShingle |
occupational allergy occupational asthma organic dusts sensitizers crustacea Anisakis Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Jakob Hjort Bønløkke Denyse Gautrin Torben Sigsgaard Samuel B. Lehrer Karim Maghni André Cartier Snow crab allergy and asthma among Greenlandic workers – a pilot study |
topic_facet |
occupational allergy occupational asthma organic dusts sensitizers crustacea Anisakis Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
description |
Objectives. To study snow crab sensitization, occupational allergy and asthma in the snow crab industry in Greenland, as high rates have been found in Canada, but no reports have emerged from the same industry in Greenland. Study design. Pilot survey. Methods. Twenty workers (19 of Inuit and 1 of other origin) in a snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) and Atlantic shrimp (Pandalus borealis) processing plant in Greenland were assessed with skin prick tests (SPTs) with common aeroallergens and specific allergens from snow crab and shrimp extracts, spirometry, blood sampling for total IgE and specific IgE determination. Eighteen workers contributed a questionnaire-based medical interview. Results. Positive skin prick test reactions were common to snow crab (40%) and shrimp (20%). Specific IgE to snow crab were positive in 4 workers (21%). Two workers had elevated total IgE levels. Symptoms suggestive of asthma were common (45%). Work-related symptoms of skin rash, rhinitis, and/or conjunctivitis were reported by 50%, and symptoms from the lower airways by 39%. Combining history of work-related symptoms with results from specific SPTs and/or specific IgE determination suggested that 11 and 22% of workers suffered from probable and possible occupational asthma, respectively, whereas 22% had possible occupational dermatitis or rhinitis. Conclusions. Greenlander Inuit do not appear to be protected against sensitization to snow crab or shrimp when occupationally exposed to these. This pilot study suggests that occupational allergy and asthma may be as common a problem in Greenlandic workers as in Canadian. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jakob Hjort Bønløkke Denyse Gautrin Torben Sigsgaard Samuel B. Lehrer Karim Maghni André Cartier |
author_facet |
Jakob Hjort Bønløkke Denyse Gautrin Torben Sigsgaard Samuel B. Lehrer Karim Maghni André Cartier |
author_sort |
Jakob Hjort Bønløkke |
title |
Snow crab allergy and asthma among Greenlandic workers – a pilot study |
title_short |
Snow crab allergy and asthma among Greenlandic workers – a pilot study |
title_full |
Snow crab allergy and asthma among Greenlandic workers – a pilot study |
title_fullStr |
Snow crab allergy and asthma among Greenlandic workers – a pilot study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Snow crab allergy and asthma among Greenlandic workers – a pilot study |
title_sort |
snow crab allergy and asthma among greenlandic workers – a pilot study |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v71i0.19126 https://doaj.org/article/26689cfdc8f34bada11be2acc419dd91 |
geographic |
Arctic Canada Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Canada Greenland |
genre |
Arctic Chionoecetes opilio Circumpolar Health Greenland greenlander* greenlandic International Journal of Circumpolar Health inuit Pandalus borealis Snow crab |
genre_facet |
Arctic Chionoecetes opilio Circumpolar Health Greenland greenlander* greenlandic International Journal of Circumpolar Health inuit Pandalus borealis Snow crab |
op_source |
International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Vol 71, Iss 0, Pp 1-8 (2012) |
op_relation |
http://www.circumpolarhealthjournal.net/index.php/ijch/article/view/19126/pdf_1 https://doaj.org/toc/2242-3982 doi:10.3402/ijch.v71i0.19126 2242-3982 https://doaj.org/article/26689cfdc8f34bada11be2acc419dd91 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v71i0.19126 |
container_title |
International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
container_volume |
71 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
19126 |
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1766342250374103040 |