Spero H. Raoul Hounkpatin¹, Fabien A. C. Gounongbe¹, Sonia Lawson Afouda², Marius C. Flatin¹, Karl A. F. B. Dossou-Kpanou¹, François Avakoudjo², Elvire Dossoumou¹, Wassi Adjibabi²

Show more
¹ Faculté de Médecine, Université de Parakou, Parakou, Benin.
² Faculte des Sciences de la Santé de Cotonou, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin.
Show less

Abstract: Wood dust may induce health risks on exposed timber or wood workers, one of which is ENT disorders. This article aimed to detect ENT pathologies found among woodworkers in Parakou. It was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out from 1st March to 31st May, 2012 in Parakou, North-Benin. It involved 703 carpenters and sawyers operating in timber workshops in Parakou, regardless of age and sex. The mean age of the wood-workers was 26.14 ± 7.77 years. Their seniority in the timber profession was on average 4.9 ± 2.64 years. All of them were males. It had been noticed that 81.6% of them did not comply with any safety measure for their protection. ENT pathology had been diagnosed in 60.3% of the timber workers. Rhinitises came first and affected 43.1% of the workers, followed by pharyngitises (14.1%). The histological nature of the only case of tumor observed in Parakou could not have been specified, as the patient refused to undergo anatomopathological examination. Measures should be taken to get Parakou timber workers to protect themselves.

Keywords: Timber/Wood-Workers, Occupational Rhinitis, ENT Pathologies

Cite this paper: Hounkpatin, S. , Gounongbe, F. , Afouda, S. , Flatin, M. , Dossou-Kpanou, K. , Avakoudjo, F. , Dossoumou, E. and Adjibabi, W. (2014) ENT Pathologies Screening in Woodworkers in Parakou, Benin. International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, 3, 337-341. doi: 10.4236/ijohns.2014.36060.

References

[1]   Mirza, S. (2010) Risks to the Health of Wood Workers: What Can Be Done? Zigazag Journal of Occupational Health and Safety, 3, 1-8.
http://www.zjohs.eg.net/pdf/vol3no1/1.pdf

[2]   Hemelt, M., Granström, C. and Hemmenki, K. (2004) Occupational Risks for Nasal Cancer in Sweden. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46, 1033-1040.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.jom.0000141653.30337.82

[3]   Imbernon, E. (2003) Estimation of the Number of Some Cancer Cases Attributable to Occupational Factors.
http://fulltext.bdsp.ehesp.fr/Invs/Rapports/2003/rapport_cancer_pro.pdf

[4]   Jacobsen, G., Schaumburg, I., Sigsgaard, T. and Schhüssen, V. (2010) Non-Malignant Respiratory Disease and Occupational Exposure to Wood Dust. Part I. Fresh Wood and Mixed Wood Industry. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 17, 15-28.

[5]   Jacobsen, G., Schaumburg, I., Sigsgaard, T. and Schhüssen, V. (2010) Non-Malignant Respiratory Disease and Occupational Exposure to Wood Dust. Part II. Dry Wood Industry. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 17, 29-44,

[6]   Frimat, P., Leroyer, A., Beuneu, A., Dubrulle, F., Larroque, G., Fontaine, B., et al. (2002) Screening of Nasosinusal Pathologies in Employees Exposed to Sawdusts. National Days for Occupational Health in the Construction and Public Works Sector, Lille, 79-64.

[7]   Bevilacqua, I., Magnavita, N., Becchetti, G., De Matteis, B., Giunta, G., Lancia, F., et al. (2007) Vigilance on Health Surveillance in Wood Sector. Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro ed Ergonomia, 29, 794-795.

[8]   Smailyte, G. (2012) The Incidence of Cancer among Workers Exposed to Timber Dust in Lithuania. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 69, 449-451.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2011-100253

[9]   Aguwa, F., Okeke, T. and Asuzu, M. (2007) The Prevalence of Occupational Asthma and Rhinitis in Woodworkers in South-Eastern Nigeria. Tanzania Health Research Bulletin, 9, 52-55.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/thrb.v9i1.14293

[10]   Garnier, R., Villa, A. and Chataigner, D. (2007) Occupational Rhinitises. Respiratory Disease Review. Revue des Maladies Respiratoires, 24, 205-220.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0761-8425(07)91043-8

[11]   Veneri, I., Caso, M.A., Ravaioli, M., Albonetti, A., Ghini, P., Mazzavillani, M., et al. (2007) Study on the Prevalence of Respiratory Upper and Lower Tract with Carpenters, Data Monitoring Reports and Medical Records of Exposure. Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro ed Ergonomia, 29, 833-835.

[12]   Milanowiski, J., Góra, A., Skorska, C., Krysińska-Traczyk, E., Mackiewicz, B., Sitkowska, J., et al. (2002) Work-Related Symptoms among Workers in Furniture Factory in Lublin Region (Eastern Poland). Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 9, 99-103.

[13]   Mayr, S.I., Hafizovic, K., Waldfahrer, F., Iro, H. and Kutting, B. (2010) Characterization of Clinical Symptoms and Risk Factors for Sino-Nasal Adenocarcinoma: Results of a Case-Control Study. Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health, 83, 631-616.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00420-009-0479-5

[14]   Bimbi, G., Saraceno, M.S., Riccio, S., Gatta, G., Licitra, I. and Cantù, G. (2004) Adenocarcinoma of Ethmoid Sinus: An Occupational Disease. Acta Otorhinolaryngologica Italica, 24, 199-203.