The Screening of Inhalant Allergic Diseases in the Selection of Candidates for Aircraft Piloting

Respiratory hypersensitivity to airborne allergens affects over 10% of the population in industrialized nations (1) and is a source of substantial social and health-care costs (2). By virtue of the negative effects of allergy on professional performance and the current nature of attacks, sufferers are necessarily excluded from certain occupational activities involving considerable risk, physical/psychological stress, and high cost training, such as aircraft piloting (3). Allergic rhinitis and asthma prevent admission of a candidate to enrollment as a pilot in the Italian Air Force. As a consequence, candidates allergic to inhalants must be identified during selections.
This article is from 'Allergic, Immunological and Infectious Disease Problems in Aerospace Medicine Held in Rome, Italy on 21 - 25 October 1991 (Les Problemes Causes par les Maladies Allergiques, Immunologigiques et Contagieuses en Medicine Aerospatiale)', AD-A252 141, p31-1 thru p31-5.