Methods: A no-matched case-controlled study was performed. The study group included 17 bakery workers in Havana, Cuba, median age 33 (range 18- 55 years old), and the control group comprised 14 non-exposed subjects, median age: 28 (range 22-47 years old). Both groups had male predominance. A medical resume and SPT were performed to all subjects.
Results: Of 17 bakery workers, eight had one or more work-related symptoms and the respiratory symptoms were the most reported. The higher sensitization frequency in bakers corresponded to yeast (88.2 %), followed by storage and house dust mites, A. siro and Dermatophagoides siboney (a Caribbean species similar to D. farinae) and wheat with 82.3% each one. The least sensitization value was found to D. pteronyssinus (only 47 %), in contrast to the response pattern found in the control group where this mite was the predominant sensitizing allergen. The largest wheal diameters were found to A. siro and T. putrescientae in the bakers group and to D. farinae and B. tropicalis in the control group.
Conclusions: There is a high sensitivity to storage mites and wheat flour and yeast allergens among bakery workers, which can be an important risk factor to consider for their occupational safety.