Clinical and immunological responses to cotton dust exposure among workers in cotton industry

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out on 206 workers, selected randomly from workers of ESCO Company in Kaliubia governorate, to reveal the effect of exposure to cotton dust on health of workers and to investigate the role of cotton antigen in the etiology of cotton related symptoms or diseases. The examined workers were divided into an exposed and a control group comprising 150 and 81 workers respectively. The results showed higher prevalence of chest symptoms among exposed workers than controls. Workers in dusty operations showed more chest symptoms than in less dusty ones. The longer the duration of exposure the more prevalent were the chest symptoms. Exposure to cotton dust can lead to acute and chronic reduction in FEV which was directly proportional to duration and level of exposure and prevalence of respiratory symptoms. The titre of total IgE and specific IgE antibodies to cotton antigen in the serum of exposed workers was not significantly different from that of controls