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Pet- and pollen-induced upper airway symptoms in farmers and in nonfarmers

¹ Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, ² Unit of Environmental Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute, ³ Dept of Paediatrics, Kuopio University Hospital and Unit of Environmental Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute, Kuopio, Finland

CORRESPONDENCE: H.O. Koskela, Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, PL 1777, 70210 Kuopio, Finland. Fax: 358 17172683. E-mail: heikki.koskela@kuh.fi

Keywords: epidemiology, farmers, rhinitis, skin-prick tests

Received: November 26, 2002
Accepted February 10, 2003

The effect of farming on the risk of upper airway symptoms is not clear. In this cross-sectional, population-based study, 198 female farmers, 50 nonfarmers living on a farm, and 218 nonfarmers not living on a farm, filled in a symptom questionnaire and underwent skin-prick testing with common and agricultural allergens. In the logistic regression analysis, the latter group served as a control. Several adjustments were made, including childhood farming environment.

Current farming was found to decrease the risks of pet- and pollen-induced upper airway symptoms, dose-dependently with the intensity and duration of animal husbandry. Including skin-test positivity to pets in the regression models did not affect the negative association between farming and pet-induced symptoms. In contrast, animal husbandry increased the risk of farm work-induced upper airway symptoms.

Animal husbandry often induces work-related upper airway symptoms. However, the present study among female adults suggests that it may also decrease the risk of pet- and pollen-induced upper airway symptoms.

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