Allergic Diseases in Agriculture Workers

Abstract

It is reported that the majority of the world-wide working population is involved in the agricultural sector by the international working organization. In Turkey, about 19% of the workforce with 26 million 275 thousand employees is agricultural labor force.
Agricultural work can bring various health problems. Allergic diseases including respiratory system diseases and dermatological problems are common health problems. Major allergic risks in the agricultural environment are; Organic-inorganic powders, chemicals, gases, pollen and some infections.
Cereal dusts, fungal antigens, dust mites and organic phosphorus insecticides, organic dusts causeallergic asthma and allergic rhinitis. Actinomycetes and aspergillusin moldy hay and cereals cause hypersensitivity pneumonia (farmer's lung). Dry fertilizers, vegetables and pesticides are the causes of contact dermatitis. Agricultural workers exposed to pesticides intensively; has high risk of allergic contact dermatitis.
In the study of Mazurek JM et al., 5.1% of farm workers had asthma; 15.4% of them were related to the farm environment and 33.3% of those who had asthma attack in the previous 12 months had a crisis during farm work.
Michel S et al. found that exposure to farm media factors in children with genetic predisposition may affect DNA methylation; It is emphasized that it may play an important role in the emergence of asthma and atopic diseases.
Result
Allergic diseases commonly found in all societies; is one of the important problems in terms of public health because it is both occupational disease and protectable. Protecting agricultural workers against risks as it is thought that the majority of the world's working population is in agriculture; is an important approach to protecting public health.

 

 

Keywords: agricultural workers, allergy, occupational diseases

 

Keywords

• Allergic Diseases in Agriculture Workers

Kaynakça

1. Saliha Çelik, Burak Kurt, Muhsin Akbaba cukurova university faculty of medicine department of public health