Lack of evidence of IgE allergic sensitisation from working with lactic acid bacteria in the dairy foods industry

Detection of Specific IgE against Molds Involved in Allergic Bronchopulmonary Mycoses in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

CONTEXT

Allergic bronchopulmonary mycoses (ABPM) can be due to molds other than Aspergillus fumigatus in patients with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). We aimed to develop immunoassays for the detection of specific IgE (sIgE) directed against five fungal species involved in ABPM: Aspergillus terreus, Scedosporium apiospermum, Lomentospora prolificans, Rasamsonia argillacea, and Exophiala dermatitidis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Serum samples (n = 356) from 238 pwCF, collected in eight CF care centers in France, Germany, and Italy, were analyzed by dissociated enhanced lanthanide fluorescent immunoassay (DELFIA®) to assess levels of sIgE directed against antigenic extracts of each fungus. Clinical, biological, and radiological data were collected for each episode. One hundred serum samples from healthy blood donors were used as controls. Sera were classified into four groups depending on the level of sIgE according to the quartile repartition calculated for the pwCF population. A score of 4 for values above the 3rd quartile corresponds to an elevated level of sIgE.

RESULTS

PwCF showed higher levels of sIgE than controls. Based on criteria from the ABPA-ISHAM working group, with an additional criterion of "a sIgE score of 4 for at least one non-A. fumigatus mold", we were able to diagnose six cases of ABPM.

CONCLUSIONS

Using 417 IU/mL as the threshold for total IgE and the same additional criterion, we identified seven additional pwCF with "putative ABPM". Detection of sIgE by DELFIA® showed good analytical performance and supports the role played by non-A. fumigatus molds in ABPM. However, commercially available kits usable in routine practice are needed to improve the diagnosis of ABPM.

Workers' Occupational Dust Exposure and Pulmonary Function Assessment: Cross-Sectional Study in China

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to determine the occupational health status of workers exposed to dust and the risk factors of lung function decline, to provide a basis for formulating corresponding occupational disease-prevention strategies.

METHODS

Data on 2045 workers exposed to dust, including their age, gender, exposure time, chest X-ray test results, and pulmonary function test results, were obtained from a key occupational disease monitoring project in Chongqing, China, in 2021. Chi-square tests and multifactorial logistic regression, and other methods, were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of pneumoconiosis-like changes was 0.83% (17/2045), and the prevalence of abnormal forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV₁/FVC was 4.25% (87/2045), 12.81% (262/2045), and 1.47% (30/2045), respectively. With increasing worker's age, the prevalence of abnormal pneumoconiosis-like changes (p = 0.0065), FEV₁ (p = 0.0002), FVC (p < 0.0001), and FEV₁/FVC (p = 0.0055) all increased. Factors such as age, exposure duration, enterprise size, and dust exposure concentration were associated with abnormal lung function.

CONCLUSIONS

Workers exposed to occupational dust have a high rate of abnormal lung function. The government, enterprises, and individuals should pay attention to occupational dust exposure, and various effective measures should be actively taken to protect the life and health of workers.