Occupational asthma due to tylosin tartrate

Abstract

Tylosin is a macrolide antibiotic produced by fermentation from a culture of streptomyces fradiae. Both tylosin (C47H77NO17, MW: 904.2) and tylosin tartrate (C47H77NO17. C4H6O6, MW: 1054.3) have found wide practical use as an animal health and growth agent. They are used principally to combat dysentry in pigs and respiratory infections in poultry and may be added to the animal feed, to the drinking water, or given by injection. Because of their low toxicity they have been permitted for use as a food additive for both animals and man. Occupational contact dermatitis to tylosin has been reported among animal feed handlers, farmers, veterinary surgeons, and factory workers. Positive patch tests to both tylosin and tylosin tartrate have been reported in some of these cases. We report the first case of asthma induced by occupational exposure to tylosin tartrate.