Occupational asthma due to inhaled carmine

摘要

SummaryTwo patients are described with occupational asthma due to carmine, a natural dye extracted from the insectCoccus cactus.Both had dual asthmatic reactons after carmine inhalation. Oral challenge provoked gastrointestinal symptoms in one patient, and asthma in them both, perhaps accounting for their continuing symptoms. One patient worked extracting carmine from the insects and the other used carmine as a cosmetic colouring agent.