Asthma and rhinitis after exposure to glutaraldehyde in endoscopy units.

Four nurses working in endoscopy units complained of respiratory symptoms on exposure to alkaline glutaraldehyde used as a disinfectant for fibre-optic endoscopes. A provocation test was positive in two of these patients. This is the first report to use provocation testing to confirm a relation between exposure to alkaline glutaraldehyde and respiratory disease.