Case report of occupational asthma due to palisander wood dust and bronchoprovocation challenge by inhalation of pure wood dust from a capsule

Occupational asthma due to exposure to exotic wood dust and to rosewood (Dalbergia family) has been reported earlier. This paper deals with a case of occupational asthma due to palisander wood dust (Dalbergia nigra) in a joiner who sanded and polished parts of musical instruments. The causal relationship was confirmed by a positive skin reaction to an allergenic preparation and a positive nonimmediate, late asthmatic reaction after inhalation challenge testing with pure palisander wood dust. A method of bronchoprovocation testing with an occupational allergen is presented. It proved to be a practical and advantageous method in its simplicity and single-blind application of placebo. It should, however, be used with great caution, in well-chosen cases in whom nonspecific bronchial reactivity is proved or recorded to be in normal ranges.