Standards for the recognition of occupational diseases (ODs) in Korea were established in 1954 and have been amended several times. In 2013, there was a significant change in these standards. On the basis of scientific evidence and causality, the International Labour Organization list, European Commission schedule, and compensated cases in Korea were reviewed to revise the previous standards for the recognition of ODs in Korea. A disease-based approach using the International Classification of Diseases (10th version) was added on the previous standards, which were agent-specific approaches. The amended compensable occupational neurological disorders and occupational mental disorders (OMDs) in Korea are acute and chronic central nervous system (CNS) disorders, toxic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, manganese-related disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Several agents including trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, vinyl chloride, organotin, methyl bromide, and carbon monoxide (CO) were newly included as acute CNS disorders. TCE, lead, and mercury were newly included as chronic CNS disorders. Mercury, TCE, methyl n-butyl ketone, acrylamide, and arsenic were newly included in peripheral neuropathy. Post-traumatic stress disorders were newly included as the first OMD. This amendment makes the standard more comprehensive and practical. However, this amendment does not perfectly reflect the recent scientific progress and social concerns. Ongoing effort, research, and expert consensus are needed to improve the standard.
Female ; Humans ; Mental Disorders/chemically induced/*economics/pathology ; Nervous System Diseases/chemically induced/*economics/pathology ; Occupational Diseases/*economics ; Occupational Exposure ; Republic of Korea ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/diagnosis/*economics ; Workers' Compensation/*economics

Exposure to cephalosporins could cause occupational allergic diseases in health care workers (HCWs). We evaluated the prevalence of serum specific IgE and IgG antibodies to cephalosporin-human serum albumin (HSA) conjugate and to identify potential genetic risk factors associated with sensitization to cephalosporins in exposed HCWs. The study population consisted of 153 HCWs who had been exposed to antibiotics in a single university hospital and 86 unexposed healthy controls. A questionnaire survey of work-related symptoms (WRS) was administered. A skin-prick test (SPT) was performed, and serum-specific IgE and IgG antibodies to 3 commonly prescribed cephalosporins were measured by ELISA. Four single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the candidate genes related to IgE sensitization were genotyped. The prevalence of WRS to cephalosporins was 2.6%. The prevalence rates of serum-specific IgE and IgG antibodies to cephalosporins were 20.3% and 14.7%, respectively. The FcepsilonR1beta-109T > C polymorphism was significantly associated with IgE sensitization to cephalosporins in HCWs (P = 0.036, OR = 3.553; CI, 1.324-9.532). The in vitro functional assay demonstrated that the T allele of FcepsilonR1beta-109T had greater promoter activity than did the C allele (P < 0.001). The FcepsilonR1beta-109T > C polymorphism may be a potential genetic risk factor for increased IgE sensitization to cephalosporins.
Adult ; Alleles ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/analysis/*immunology ; Cephalosporins/analysis/*immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity/*diagnosis/epidemiology ; Immunoglobulin E/blood ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Male ; Occupational Diseases/*chemically induced/epidemiology ; Occupational Exposure ; Odds Ratio ; Questionnaires ; Receptors, IgE/genetics ; Skin Tests ; Young Adult

Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Electromyography ; Female ; Hexanes ; poisoning ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; Poisoning ; diagnosis

To evaluate the clinical significance of autoantibodies to three major epithelial cytokeratins (CK) -- CK8, CK18, and CK19 -- we compared 66 patients with toluene diisocyanate (TDI)-induced asthma (group I) with three control groups: 169 asymptomatic exposed subjects (group II), 64 patients with allergic asthma (group III), and 123 unexposed healthy subjects (group IV). Serum IgG, specific for human recombinant CKs, were measured by ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), and ELISA inhibition tests were performed. The existence of these antibodies was confirmed by IgG immunoblot analysis. Anti-TDI-HSA (human serum albumin) IgE and IgG antibodies were measured by ELISA in the same set of the patients. The prevalence of CK8, CK18, and CK19 auotantibodies in group I was significantly higher than in the other three groups. Results of the ELISA inhibition test showed significant inhibition with the addition of three CKs in a dose-dependent manner. No significant association was found between CK autoantibodies and the prevalence of anti- TDI-HSA IgG and IgE antibodies. These results suggest that autoantibodies to CK18 and CK19 can be used as serologic markers for identifying patients with TDI-induced asthma among exposed workers.
Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate/*toxicity ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Occupational Diseases/chemically induced/*diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Keratins/*immunology ; Keratin-8/immunology ; Keratin-19/immunology ; Keratin-18/immunology ; Immunoblotting ; Humans ; Female ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Biological Markers/blood ; Autoantibodies/*blood ; Asthma/chemically induced/*diagnosis ; Adult

Adult ; Arsenic Poisoning ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; drug therapy

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methanol ; poisoning ; Occupational Diseases ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Poisoning ; diagnosis ; therapy

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aniline Compounds ; poisoning ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Poisoning ; diagnosis ; drug therapy

Accidents, Occupational ; Adult ; Female ; Hexanes ; poisoning ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; Shoes

Adult ; Benzene ; poisoning ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; diagnosis ; Physical Examination

OBJECTIVETo investigate the frequency of numerical aberrations for chromosomes 7 and 8 in the sperms of workers exposed to benzene series.

METHODSNumerical aberrations in the sperms of workers were detected by two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization with biotin labeled chromosome 7 probe (D7Z1) and digoxingenin labeled chromosome 8 probe (D8Z1).

RESULTSThe time-weight average air concentration (TWA) of benzene in the workshop was 42.29 mg/m(3), which was significantly higher than that of the national maximum allowable concentration [6 mg/m(3)]. The concentration of urinary trans,trans-muconic acid(ttMA) in the exposed group was also higher than that of the control group. In all, 155721 sperm nuclei from 15 workers in the exposed group and 123771 sperm nuclei from 12 individuals in the control group were examined. The results showed that the frequency of diploidy sperms and the frequencies of disomic sperm for chromosomes 7 and 8 in the exposed group (0.129%, 0.170%, 0.078%) were significantly higher than those of the control group (0.055%, 0.053%, 0.033%), respectively. The frequencies of nullisomic sperm for chromosomes 7 and 8 in the exposed group (0.165%, 0.088%) were also significantly increased, compared with those of the control group (0.056%, 0.029%). A statistically significant difference in the frequency of overall numerical chromosome aberrations was seen between the exposed group (0.745%) and the control group (0.289%).

CONCLUSIONThe results suggested that higher concentration of benzene may induce higher frequencies of numerical aberrations in the sperms of workers exposed to benzene series.

Adult ; Benzene ; poisoning ; Chromosome Aberrations ; chemically induced ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7 ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 ; drug effects ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; metabolism