[Allergens in occupational allergy: risk management.]

OBJECTIVES: The first essential aspect for the prevention of occupational allergy is related to the accurate allergen identification and characterization. At present many efforts are made to characterize the potential for a chemical to be a sensitizing agent.

METHODS: 'Omics' show great promise to identify key cellular and molecular events relevant to development of an adverse outcome pathway for respiratory sensitizers. One approach that shows promise is based on the measurement of the peptide reactivity of chemicals; the potential to form stable associations with protein/peptide being a key requirement for the induction of sensitization.

RESULTS: Sensitization is a dose-related phenomenon, therefore the lower the exposure the lower the risk of sensitization.

CONCLUSIONS: In any way, establishing occupational exposure limits for chemical allergens presents numerous difficulties. Therefore it is important using alternative exposure recommendations and risk management practices, including medical surveillance and tertiary prevention, to aid in protecting workers from exposures to allergens.