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Occupational Medicine 2006 56(4):282-283; doi:10.1093/occmed/kql007
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

CASE REPORT

Algae-induced occupational asthma in a thalassotherapist

Louis-Philippe Boulet

Hôpital Laval, Centre de Pneumologie, Sainte-Foy, Québec, Canada

Background Algae powders have been increasingly used in therapeutic preparations. Their potential as inducers of occupational asthma (OA), however, remains to be demonstrated.

Methods A 33-year-old woman developed asthma following exposure to algae powder used for thalassotherapy. She had positive patch tests to nickel and cobalt in an evaluation for intermittent skin rash. At work, she had a normal forced expiratory flow in 1 s (FEV1) but moderate airway hyperresponsiveness. Bronchial provocation tests (BPT) were obtained.

Results On BPT, an isolated early response was observed after a 1-min inhalation of dry algae powder, with a 50% fall in FEV1 after exposure; the control BPT with lactose powder was negative.

Conclusions We report a case of algae-powder-induced OA. Such responses could be due to a sensitization to algae proteins or metal contaminants bioabsorbed by the vegetal particles.

Keywords      Algae; occupational asthma; thalassotherapy

Correspondence to: Louis-Philippe Boulet, Hôpital Laval, 2725, chemin Sainte-Foy, Sainte-Foy, Québec G1V 4G5, Canada. Tel: +1 418 656 4747; fax: +1 418 656 4762; e-mail: lpboulet{at}med.ulaval.ca


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