Lung Function of Traditional Bakers and Pastry Makers Expsosed to Flour Dust in the City of Thies, Senegal

Introduction: Cases of restrictive and obstructive diseases have been reported in workers exposed to flour dust. In Senegal, studies on the lung function of bakery-pastry employees are rare. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the clinical respiratory manifestations and ventilatory disorders (VD) related to flour dust exposure among traditional bakers and pastry makers in the city of Thies, Senegal.

Materials and Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Forty subjects were recruited. Subjects received a basic and post-bronchodilator spirometry. The targeted respiratory functional disorders were bronchial obstruction, functional restriction and mixed syndrome.

Results: The average length of service at the workplace was 7±6,7 years. Smokers represented 17,5%. A respiratory symptoms were found in 65% of our subjects. Coughing, sneezing and rhinorrhea were more frequent with 50%, 24% and 17% respectively. The most common ventilatory disorders among exposed bakers were of the mixed type (22,5%). On the other hand, 12,5% had an isolated obstructive ventilatory disorder (OVD) and a restrictive functional disorder (RFD) was found in 10%. The obstructive ventilatory disorders were dominated by obstruction of the small airways (80%). The severity of ventilatory disorders was of a moderate deficit type (87% and 62% respectively). Respiratory function abnormalities were more common in the smokers with a prevalence of ventilatory disorders that increased with age of employment. However, the effect of exposure appears to be clear because among non-smokers, 12,13 % of the exposed patients had respiratory functional abnormalities with isolated restrictive functional disorder type.

Conclusion: This study showed that bakery and pastry workers have various respiratory symptoms and ventilatory disorders. Smoking and job tenure remain factors that increase these flour dust-related risks.