Title : Immunological disorders due to occupational exposures
Abstract:
Immune disturbances are described among wide variety of occupational exposures to chemical, biological or physical pollutants. Several studies have shown that occupational chronic exposure to pesticides, mycotoxins, organic solvents, dyes, heavy metals; such as mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic, aluminium, nickel and other heavy metals, can be linked to the autoimmune process, that may result in immune disorders and autoimmune diseases. Although approximately 70% of the risk for developing autoimmune thyroid disease; as an example, is attributable to genetic background, environmental triggers are thought to play a role in the development of autoimmune thyroid disease in susceptible individuals. Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic multisystem autoimmune disorder is also suggested to be an interaction between both genetic and environmental factors. Occupational exposure to cotton dust found to be associated with the risk of development rheumatoid arthritis with the elevation of the mycotoxins in their bodies. Therefore, environmental and occupational health studies are essential target for planning a sustainable strategy for protection and safety, early detection, and prediction of the disabling health problem to avoid losses of the valuable manpower and to minimize the medical and economic costs. This presentation will focus on adopting for early detection of workers at risk to develop immunological disturbances; such as autoimmune thyroid disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis in workers occupationally exposing to environmental potential autoimmune triggers in their working places, in form of occupational exposure to pesticides, mycotoxins, dyes, heavy metals, organic solvents, … etc. The accumulations role of these environmental pollutants in the body of the exposed workers in developing autoimmune disorders and gene polymorphism that plays a role in this accumulation will be presented.
