Occupational asthma (OA) is an illness in which the breathing passages shrink, swell or become inflamed or congested as a result of exposure to irritants in the workplace. There are two types of occupational asthma: immunologic asthma and irritant-induced asthma. Immunologic asthma develops after a variable period of time in which a person is exposed to an agent and has become sensitized. (An agent can be an animal protein, a plant protein, a polysaccharide or a chemical.) Irritant-induced asthma occurs after an intense exposure to an irritating dust, mist, vapor or fume. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, an estimated […]