Work-related asthma is most common occupational respiratory disease
In modern society, occupational asthma is the most frequently occurring work-related respiratory disease. Occupational asthma is defined as a form of asthma that is generally caused by immunological sensitisation to a (specific) agent inhaled at work. A large – and growing – number of causative agents have been identified. These occupational “asthmogens” may be macromolecules of biological origin, metallic agents or synthetic chemicals.
Inhaled irritants can also cause asthma without specific sensitisation, either after a single acute inhalation accident (RADS) or through repeated or chronic exposure to excessive levels, for example during cleaning work. In the latter case, the presentation of occupational asthma may resemble that of allergen-induced occupational asthma because the worker may have been able to work for some time without experiencing respiratory symptoms (i.e. there has been a symptom-free latency period).