Multiple sclerosis, solvents, and pets.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
Z Gard
Publications and source records attributed to Z Gard.
Building-related illness and antibodies to albumin conjugates of formaldehyde, toluene diisocyanate, and trimellitic anhydride.
A case of building-related health complaints was investigated with respect to the relationship among frequency of symptoms, antibodies to albumin conjugates of formaldehyde (HCHO), toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and tirmellitic anhydride (TMA), and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). The indoor air concentrations of VOCs, HCHO, TDI, and TMA did not exceed Fed-OSHA and ACGIH permissible standards. However, HCHO concentrations ranged between 0.05 and 0.08 ppm. The reported symptoms were multiple, involving the eyes, nose, sinuses, throat, lungs, skeletomuscular system, and central nervous system. Anti-HCHO, -TDI, and -TMA isotypes were found in 12 of 14 full-time employees and were nondetectable in one part-time employee. There was a positive, but not statistically significant, correlation (r values ranged between .24 and .55) between symptoms and the geometric mean titers to conjugates. The data suggest that a synergistic immunological response to airborne chemicals may be occurring in these subjects. In conclusion, immunological monitoring of affected individuals where chemicals are suspected may prove to be useful in future investigations of building-related illness.
Adult↗
Immunological evaluation of four arc welders exposed to fumes from ignited polyurethane (isocyanate) foam: antibodies and immune profiles.
Four arc welders having a flu-like illness with multiple health complaints following an exposure to high concentrations of isocyanate fumes from ignited polyurethane foam underwent immunological tests as follows: ELISA antibody assays, activated lymphocyte profiles, and lymphocyte blastogenesis. ELISA procedures revealed the presence of antibodies to hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and formaldehyde (F) conjugated to human serum albumin (HDI-SA and F-SA). The results from the activated lymphocyte profiles showed deviations from the norm as follows: three welders had elevated helper/suppressor (H/S) ratios; all four had elevated percentages of Tal positive cells; two had decreases in B cells; and one had low total white cell and lymphocyte counts. In contrast, the percentage and absolute numbers of ILS receptor cells were normal in the four subjects. T cell blastogenesis to PHA, Con A and PWM resulted in the following: T-cells from one subject responded normally; in another, a high response (212% of controls) to PHA occurred with normal mitogenesis to Con A and PWM. In the remaining two welders, the T cells responded abnormally low (50 to 75% of controls) to the three mitogens. In conclusion, the existence of IgG antibodies to HDI-SA and F-SA, the altered activated immune profiles, the elevated Tal cells, and the abnormal blastogenesis are interpreted as being linked with the episode of HDI and F exposure and the subsequent flu-like illness of the four welders.
Adult↗