RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of pulmonary acariasis among the employees working on traditional Chinese medicinal materials and observe the effect of treatment. METHODS: History inquiry, detection of mites in sputum, blood examination for eosinophils and specific antibodies, x-ray chest film were carried out for 327 workers involving in traditional Chinese medicinal materials. Mites were found in sputum in 121 persons who were then treated with metronidazole, twice a day with a daily dosage of 0.8g for seven days as a course of treatment. Two courses were conducted with an interval of 7-10 day. Prevalence and morbidity in different groups of occupation, age, and sex were analyzed. RESULTS: The overall infection rate of mites in sputum was 37.0% (121/327) with an average morbidity of 12.5% (41/327). Among the four types of worker investigated, the highest infection rate (51.8%), and morbidity (18.6%) were in those working in transfer warehouse; the second highest infection rate (40.7%) and morbidity (15.7%) were in employees in factory of Chinese traditional medicine. Both groups showed a significant difference with others (chi2inf=11.36, P< 0.01; chi2inc=11.36, P<0.01). Higher morbidity was found in the middle-aged ones and those with more years of service. No difference was found between males and females (chi2=0.31, P>0.05). After treatment with metronidazole, 88.4% showed negative in sputum examination for mites and the efficacy of the treatment for pulmonary acariasis was 92.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Employees engaged in traditional Chinese medicinal materials are one of the groups at the highest risk of pulmonary acariasis. Metronidazole is effective in treating the infection.