Byssinosis is still a problem in United States textile mills. It appears that we are managing instead of solving the byssinosis problem. Last year, a major United States textile company was fined over $400,000. Compensation claims are still paid; cotton dust induced lung disease can still occur even though current dust levels are low in most U.S. textile mills.

This year's Cotton Dust Research Conference was cosponsored by the National Cotton Council and the Committee on Organic Dusts of the International Commission on Occupational Health. Rylander presented a brief overview of the history and goals of this commission.

Pickering, Fletcher, and Fischwick presented the results from their studies of cotton workers in England. A cross-sectional study in 8 cotton and 2 man-made fiber spinning mills found byssinosis in 4.1% of cotton workers and 0.24% of man-made fiber workers. This study documents the current downward trend in the prevalence of byssinosis. To investigate the relationship between bronchial hyperreactivity, atopic status, and symptoms, 79 cotton workers with respiratory symptoms and 84 matched asymptomatic workers underwent histamine challenge testing, and skin testing. This study documented the presence of bronchial hyperreactivity in the majority of byssinotic cotton workers. A cross sectional study of respiratory symptoms and dust levels in cotton and man-made fiber weavers confirmed the low prevalence of respiratory symptoms (0.33%) in modern weaving mills.