Occupational Seafood Allergies Among Seafood Processing Workers in South Africa

Principal Investigator

Thomas Robins

Co-Principal Investigators

Mohamed Jeebhay, Andreas Lopata, Mary Miller

Funding Sources

NIEHS

About this Project

Work in the seafood industry provides an excellent model for IgE mediated occupational asthma caused by exposure to high molecular weight substances. Our current investigation of occupational allergic conditions among seafood processing workers in the Western Cape of South Africa exposed to both crustaceans and bony fish entails a comprehensive approach including novel exposure characterization methods including personal samples for inhalation of specific seafood proteins, field methacholine challenge testing, and skin, patch, and serum RAST testing.