[Immunologic changes and pulmonary ventilatory function in animal feed processing workers]. / Imunoloske promjene i ventilacijske funkcije pluca radnika na preradi stocne hrane.

Respiratory symptoms and immunological reactions were examined in 35 animal food workers. The most frequent positive skin prick reactions occurred to fish flour (82.9%), followed by carotene (77.1%), cornflour (65.7%), four-leaf clover (62.9%), sunflower (54.3%), chicken meat (31.4%), soy (28.6%) and yeast (22.7%). The IgE serum level was increased in 40% of the animal food workers and in 2.6% of the controls. A significantly higher prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms was found in animal food workers than in controls. However, there was no significant difference in prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms between workers with positive and those with negative skin tests to house dust and fish flour or between those with increased and those with normal IgE levels (except for dyspnoea). There were significant acute across-shift reductions in ventilatory capacity, particularly for FEF25. The workers with positive skin tests to fish flour demonstrated significantly larger acute FEF25 reductions than those with negative skin tests. An extract of animal food caused constriction of isolated guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle in vitro. It appears that animal food dust in addition to immunological response may produce a direct irritative effect on the airways of exposed workers.

[Varicosities of the lower extremities in workers in positions requiring continuous standing or sitting positions]. / Varikoziteti donjih ekstremiteta u radnika na poslovima koji zahtijevaju kontinuirani stojeci ili sjedeci polozaj.

An epidemiological study of the prevalence of varicose veins of lower extremities was carried out in an industrial population of 434 men and 345 women. A statistically significant (p less than 0.05) association between the varicose disease and duration of work was found in all groups of workers, except for women sitting at work. Decrease in the prevalence of varicose veins after 20 years of employment may be explained at least partly, by the factor of self-selection in the industry. However, there was no difference in the prevalence of varicose veins between workers standing and those sitting at work.

[Respiratory diseases, symptoms and ventilatory function in workers involved in processing food for livestock]. / Respiratorne bolesti, simptomi i ventilacijske funkcije radnika u preradi hrane za stoku.

The prevalence of chronic and acute respiratory symptoms and ventilatory capacity were studied in a group of 71 workers employed in animal food processing. A control group of 55 unexposed workers was also included in the study. A significantly higher prevalence for most of the chronic respiratory symptoms was found among the exposed than among control workers. Exposed smokers had a significantly higher prevalence of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, chronic bronchitis and chest tightness than control smokers. The values for FVC, FEV1 and FEF50 measured in the exposed workers were significantly lower in comparison to predicted normal lung function values. In smokers all the measured parameters of ventilatory capacity were significantly lesser than predicted. For non-smokers only FVC and FEV1 were below normal. Our data indicate that occupational exposure to animal food may cause the development of acute and chronic respiratory symptoms and impairment of ventilatory capacity.

[Specific bronchial reactivity in unripe coffee processing workers]. / Specificna bronhalna reaktivnost radnika u preradi sirove kave.

Ventilatory capacity was studied in nine coffee workers who complained of job-related respiratory symptoms. Bronchoprovocation testing with green coffee allergen provoked immediate asthmatic reactions with acute reductions of ventilatory capacity in four workers. The relative fall was greater in FEF25-75 ranging from 28% to 66% than in FEV1 where it ranged from 18% to 62% of the control values. Eight workers out of nine had increased total IgE serum levels and six showed a positive reaction to prick testing with green coffee allergen. According to our data bronhchoprovocation with green coffee allergen along with skin tests and immunoglobulin levels can serve as indicator of the sensitivity of the respiratory system to green coffee dust.

Respiratory function in animal food processing workers.

A group of 71 men employed in animal food processing was studied to assess the prevalence of acute and chronic respiratory symptoms and the presence of lung function abnormalities. In addition, a control group of 55 unexposed men was studied for the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms. A significantly higher prevalence for most of the chronic respiratory symptoms was found among the exposed workers compared to the control workers. Those workers who smoked had a significantly higher prevalence of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, chronic bronchitis, and chest tightness than the smokers in the control group. For nonsmokers, the differences between exposed and control workers were significant for chronic phlegm and chest tightness. The frequency of acute symptoms associated with the work shift was high among the animal food workers. There were significantly lower measured values for FVC, FEV1, and FEF50 in the exposed group (smokers and nonsmokers) compared to predicted lung function values. In smokers, all measured parameters of ventilatory capacity were significantly less than predicted; for nonsmokers, the FVC and FEV1 were less than normal. Our data indicate that exposure to dust in the animal food industry may be associated with the development of acute and chronic respiratory symptoms and the impairment of lung function. Smoking, in this setting, appears to aggravate these changes.