Clinical and immunological reactions to Aspergillus niger among workers at a biotechnology plant

• Published in: British Journal of Industrial Medicine Vol. 42; no. 5; pp. 312 - 318
• Main Authors: Topping, M D, Scarisbrick, D A, Luczynska, C M, Clarke, E C, Seaton, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01-05-1985; British Medical Association; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Air Pollutants, Occupational - analysis; Allergens; Allergic diseases; Antigens; Antigens, Fungal - analysis; Aspergillus niger - immunology; Asthma; Asthma - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchial Spasm - etiology; Fermentation; Food-Processing Industry; Humans; Immunopathology; Medical sciences; Occupational Diseases - immunology; Questionnaires; Radioallergosorbent Test; Respiratory and ent allergic diseases; Sensitization; Skin Tests; Surface areas; Symptoms; Washing; Fungi; Human; Allergy; Radioallergosorbent test; Aspergillus niger; Fungi Imperfecti; Occupational exposure; Respiratory system; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0007-1072; 1351-0711; 1470-7926
• DOI: 10.1136/oem.42.5.312

The workforce at a biotechnology plant producing citric acid by fermentation of molasses with a strain of Aspergillus niger was studied. A combination of a respiratory questionnaire and clinical assessment identified 18 subjects (4.9% of the workforce) with work related bronchospasm. In nine of these evidence of sensitisation to A niger was obtained by skin prick tests and radioallergosorbent test (RAST) using as an antigen an extract of the A niger culture fluid from the process. Of the 325 subjects without work related bronchospasm, only nine (2.7%) had a positive prick test. There were no subjects with symptoms of extrinsic allergic alveolitis. Investigation into the source of the antigen showed that whereas, in some areas of the plant, A niger spores were present, in others there were no detectable spores. In these areas, however, extracts of filters from air samplers were shown by RAST inhibition to contain A niger antigens, indicating that the culture fluid was generating airborne antigen. RAST inhibition studies showed that the A niger culture fluid used in the process contained antigens that were not present in a commercially available A niger extract, thus emphasising the importance in this type of investigation of using antigens prepared from material to which the workers are exposed.