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Kwon, Woo, Kim, Yoon, Song, Yu, and Cho: Seven Cases of Respiratory Symptoms Caused by Acute Ozone Exposure from an Electronics Company
Case Report
Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2012; 24(4): 449-459.

Published online: 31 December 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.0000/kjoem.2012.24.4.449

Seven Cases of Respiratory Symptoms Caused by Acute Ozone Exposure from an Electronics Company

Yong-Jun Kwon, Kuck-Hyun Woo, Jin-Seok Kim, Seong-Yong Yoon, In-Ung Song, Jay-Young Yu1, Seong-Yong Cho

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital, Korea.

1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Andong Sungso Hospital, Korea.

Corresponding author (97blueciel@hanmail.net)

Received 25 June 2012       Revised 13 November 2012       Accepted 13 November 2012

Copyright © 2012 The Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Abstract

Background

Ozone is a colorless, pungent, and highly reactive gas. It can cause headaches, burning eyes, irritation to the respiratory passages, and dyspnea. This article describes cases of respiratory difficulty associated with acute ozone exposure from an electronics company that manufactures touchscreen.

Case report

Seven young female workers visited the Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, complaining of cough, dyspnea, and chest discomfort that started within two days at work processing a touchscreen with ozone (0.103 ppm ozone detected in the their workplace). Other; symptoms observed included rhinorrhea, headaches, and dizziness. There was a temporary improvement in symptoms upon taking a day off, but their symptoms deteriorated upon continuing work again-suggesting the ozone exposure in their work environment was responsible for their symptoms. The results of pulmonary function and blood laboratory tests were normal; however, laryngoscopy and nasal endoscopy identified three cases of inflammation on laryngeal, intranasal, or vocal cord regions.

Conclusions

Based on the levels of ozone detected in the workplace and clinical symptoms presented, we conclude that the respiratory symptoms in these cases were caused by excessive ozone exposures.

Keywords: Ozone, Cough, Dyspnea

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
The floor plans of the workplace.
kjoem-24-449-g001
Fig. 2
The result of laryngoscopy or transnasal endoscopy of case 1, 3, 7.
(A) Edema was noticed at vocal cord in case 1.
(B) Intranasal edema was noticed in case 3.
(C) Mild erosion was noticed at laryngeal mucosa in case 7.
kjoem-24-449-g002
Table 1
Summary of chief complaint, physical examination and laboratory findings
kjoem-24-449-i001

*chest X-ray, †pulmonary function test, ‡non-specific.

Table 2
The results of working environment measurement
kjoem-24-449-i002
Table 3
General characteristics of cases
kjoem-24-449-i003

*female,†non-specific.

Table 4
Summary of working condition, onset time of symptom and exposure time
kjoem-24-449-i004

*symptom's onset-time after starting their work in sublamination.

Table 5
The results of pulmonary function test
kjoem-24-449-i005

*forced vital capacity, †forced expiratory volume in 1 second, ‡forced expiratory flow 25-75%, §diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide.

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