Skip to main content
Thorax logoLink to Thorax
. 1994 Aug;49(8):842–843. doi: 10.1136/thx.49.8.842

Occupational asthma due to indirect exposure to lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride used in a floor cleaner.

P S Burge 1, M N Richardson 1
PMCID: PMC475138  PMID: 8091336

Abstract

The case is described of a 44 year old pharmacist who developed severe occupational asthma threatening his continued employment, confirmed by serial measurement of peak expiratory flow at home and work. The cause was found to be the cleaning agent used in his office when it was unoccupied. Bronchial challenge testing identified the specific agent to which he was sensitised as lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, a constituent of the floor cleaner. Substitution of this floor cleaner by a simple detergent cleaner led to a substantial improvement in his asthma, confirmed by repeated serial peak flow measurements.

Full text

PDF
842

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bourne M. S., Flindt M. L., Walker J. M. Asthma due to industrial use of chloramine. Br Med J. 1979 Jul 7;2(6181):10–12. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.6181.10. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bourne M. S., Flindt M. L., Walker J. M. Asthma due to industrial use of chloramine. Br Med J. 1979 Jul 7;2(6181):10–12. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.6181.10. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Burge P. S. Occupational risks of glutaraldehyde. BMJ. 1989 Aug 5;299(6695):342–342. doi: 10.1136/bmj.299.6695.342. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Hendrick D. J., Lane D. J. Formalin asthma in hospital staff. Br Med J. 1975 Mar 15;1(5958):607–608. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5958.607. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hendrick D. J., Lane D. J. Formalin asthma in hospital staff. Br Med J. 1975 Mar 15;1(5958):607–608. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5958.607. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Innocenti A. Asma professionale da benzalconio cloruro. Med Lav. 1978 Nov-Dec;69(6):713–715. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Waclawski E. R., McAlpine L. G., Thomson N. C. Occupational asthma in nurses caused by chlorhexidine and alcohol aerosols. BMJ. 1989 Apr 8;298(6678):929–930. doi: 10.1136/bmj.298.6678.929. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Waclawski E. R., McAlpine L. G., Thomson N. C. Occupational asthma in nurses caused by chlorhexidine and alcohol aerosols. BMJ. 1989 Apr 8;298(6678):929–930. doi: 10.1136/bmj.298.6678.929. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Zhang Y. G., Wright W. J., Tam W. K., Nguyen-Dang T. H., Salome C. M., Woolcock A. J. Effect of inhaled preservatives on asthmatic subjects. II. Benzalkonium chloride. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990 Jun;141(6):1405–1408. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm/141.6.1405. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Zhang Y. G., Wright W. J., Tam W. K., Nguyen-Dang T. H., Salome C. M., Woolcock A. J. Effect of inhaled preservatives on asthmatic subjects. II. Benzalkonium chloride. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990 Jun;141(6):1405–1408. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm/141.6.1405. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Thorax are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES