[Diseases connected with work in hay in Iceland. Causes and scientific studies].

This research paper explores the various diseases associated with exposure to hay in Iceland, including allergic reactions and respiratory diseases, and investigates the causes of these diseases. The study concludes that exposure to hay, particularly storage mites and certain allergens, significantly elevates the risk of developing these diseases among individuals involved in hay handling.

Scientific Studies on Diseases Related to Hay Exposure

• In 1981, the Farmers Union in Iceland initiated research into the diseases associated with hay handling. The research involved the analysis of the various substances present in hay such as storage mites, moulds, allergens from mice and pollen, as well as thermophilic actinomycetes, specifically microlyspora faeni.
• The research recognises that symptoms caused by hay particles primarily affected the nose and eyes in individuals with positive skin tests, matching an allergic reaction. Meanwhile, symptoms like cough, breathing difficulties, and fever were common in individuals with negative skin tests, suggesting a non-allergic reaction to the hay.

Causes of Allergy and Comparative Risks

• The study revealed that the most common causes of allergies among individuals living on farms were storage mites and cattle. Meanwhile, allergies to cats, dogs, and grass pollen were less prevalent in rural areas compared to the Reykjavik area.
• Individuals exposed to heavy hay dust were more likely to test positive for antibodies against micropolyspora faeni, have fever after handling hay and airway obstruction. It was also observed that Icelandic farmers were more likely to develop emphysema, a chronic respiratory disease, than other people, regardless of their smoking habits.

Allergies in Reykjavik and Potential Causes

• A large-scale study in the Reykjavik area found a surprising absence of mites in most homes, yet positive specific IgE tests (indicating allergies) against dust mites were as common there as in Uppsala, Sweden, where dust mites were found in 16% of homes.
• Further examination found that 57% of people in the study had been exposed to hay dust in varying degrees. The researchers suggest that a cross allergy to storage mites may be the cause of the prevalent allergy to house dust mites.

Mite Allergies and Hay Dust Exposure

• A new study on middle-aged people demonstrated that allergies to storage mites were slightly more common in Reykjavik than in Aarhus, Bergen, or Uppsala. The most probable explanation provided by the researchers is that individuals living in the Reykjavik area have more frequent exposure to hay dust.