Fawcett I W
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Yeovil District Hospital, Somerset, UK.
Int J Clin Pract. 1997 Sep;51(6):408.
Occupational asthma is an increasingly common clinical problem. A worker who develops asthma for the first time when starting work in a new environment may be straightforward to diagnose. However, when asthma occurs after a latent period following initial exposure, or when a pre-existing asthmatic develops work-related symptoms, the occupational link may be less easy to appreciate. This case report concerns a cheese factory worker with pre-existing asthma who experienced severe symptoms when a new process was introduced for drying grated cheese and was able to return to work only after the process was modified. The drying agent responsible has not been previously reported as a cause of asthma.
职业性哮喘是一个日益常见的临床问题。在新环境开始工作时首次患上哮喘的工人，诊断可能相对简单。然而，当初次接触后经过一段潜伏期才出现哮喘，或者已有哮喘患者出现与工作相关的症状时，职业关联可能就不那么容易识别。本病例报告涉及一名患有哮喘的奶酪厂工人，在引入一种用于干燥磨碎奶酪的新工艺时出现了严重症状，只有在该工艺改进后才得以重返工作岗位。此前尚未有报告称该干燥剂会引发哮喘。
