Özet:

Purpose: Identify the changes in respiratory symptoms and respiratory functions due to exposure to animal feed powder and determine the professional prevalence of asthma in animal feed workers. Tools and methods: A face-to-face survey was carried out to 15 workers in the animal feed factory who were exposed to animal feed powder and other workers who were not exposed to animal feed powder in the same factory. The respiratory function test was performed on all individuals in the workplace with a portable spirometer. For symptoms of asthma, the skin prick test was applied. Results: 139 workers and 61 control groups participated in the work. The prevalence of occupational asthma in workers was 19.4%. The incidence of swallowed breathing (25.1%), dyspnea (22.3%) and coughing (18.7%) was higher in workers, but the difference was not meaningful. The respiratory functions were reduced, although they were not meaningful in the workers. Students with atopial symptoms were more common in eyes (7.9 percent), swelling (6.4 percent) and nasal fluid (3.5 percent) than the control group, but it was not meaningful. In smokers, swelling breath was more common than not smoking, and respiratory functions were significantly lower in smokers. The skin prick test was positive in 10 of the 42 symptoms (23.8 percent), but there was no significant difference between the symptoms of asthma and other employees. There is no significant difference between the workers who use the mask and the workers who do not use the mask in terms of symptoms and respiratory functions. The result: Exposure to animal swear has a significant effect on the development of respiratory symptoms and reduction in respiratory functions. This effect increases significantly when smoking. There is no significant correlation between professional asthma and atopia. The use of the mask has no satisfactory role in protection.

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