Can Desert Locust cause asthma?
In general, locusts, grasshoppers and cockroaches are common insect allergens. Locust pheromones or hormones produced during mating, in combination with scales that come off the wings and cuticle of the locust, increased amounts of dust in the air and perhaps other chemicals (such as phenols that are released from the breakdown of vegetation), can act as allergens to humans and trigger allergic reactions primarily in people already susceptible to asthma. This form of respiratory illness is often referred to as Lung Eczema or Laboratory Animal Allergy. Exposure is usually unintentional (nuisance) or through professional activities (insect rearing facilities and laboratories where there are strict rules on wearing face masks). Asthma can appear one to two years after initial exposure. For additional information, see: Int. Arch. Occup. Environ Health 1996,68:133; J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 1990,86:182; J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 1989,84:296; J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 1984,74:261; Clin. Alle
