茶是世界上相當受歡迎的飲料，在許多國家茶葉的製造是相當重要的產業。在過去的研究中發現從事茶葉後段製程的工人會有呼吸道症狀及肺功能損傷的發生，然而茶葉前段製造有許多與後段加工處理過程不同的特性，包括工作時間、程序與材料等。為了探討茶葉前段製程對呼吸道的影響，本研究收集了91位台灣阿里山區的茶葉前段製造工人與32位經年齡、身高、體重與抽煙習慣配對的當地林務局的辦公室員工。除了問卷調查與背景與工作中肺功能測試外，也進行了常見及茶葉過敏原針刺測試及茶葉特異IgE測量和茶葉粉塵的暴露評估。在研究結果方面，團揉作業有最高的可吸入性粉塵暴露，委凋作業最低，而可呼吸性粉塵比例則以炒菁作業最高。在過敏原針刺測試及特異IgE測量發現在所有研究對象中，僅1名製茶工對茶葉過敏。我們發現前段製茶工人較辦公室員工有較高的慢性呼吸道症狀比例，但無統計學上的意義。在製茶工人中從事團揉作業者有較高的急慢性呼吸道症狀。製茶工人與辦公室員工的肺功能差別並無統計學上的意義，但從事團揉作業者卻有較差的一秒用力吐氣量(FEV1)、一秒用力吐氣量/最大吐氣肺活量(FEV1/FVC)與最大中段吐氣流速(MMF)，另外也觀察到工作中有明顯的肺功能下降，尤其是團揉作業勞工。在多變項迴歸分析中，年齡、身高與工作模式中的團揉作業是肺功能有意義的預測因子。因此針對茶葉前段製造工人，尤其是團揉作業，提供適當的預防與保護措施是有必要的。未來的研究應評估這些措施是否可以減少呼吸道症狀與肺功能的下降。

　　Tea is a popular beverage all over the world. Respiratory symptoms have been reported in workers of the late stage of tea production, but the early stage of production has very different characteristics. In order to evaluate its respiratory effects, we conducted a study on 91 tea workers engaged in the early tea manufacturing processes in the Mountain Ali area in Taiwan and 32 local office workers matched for age, height, weight, and smoking habits. In addition to questionnaires and pulmonary function tests, we performed skin prick tests for common allergens and tea, measured specific IgE for tea, and assessed tea dust exposures. We found tea workers had higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms than office workers, but the differences were not statistically significant. Amongst tea workers, ball rolling workers had the highest prevalence of symptoms and the highest level of inhalable dusts. Sensitization to tea was noted in only one tea worker. The differences of pulmonary functions between tea and office workers were not statistically significant, but ball rolling workers had the poorest 1-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1), FEV1/FVC (forced vital capacity) and maximal mid-expiratory flow rate (MMF). We observed a significant decline of pulmonary function during the work, especially in ball rolling workers. Multiple regression analyses showed that age, height, and ball rolling were significant predictors of pulmonary function. Appropriate preventive or control measures should be adopted. Further studies are warranted to evaluate whether the control of tea dust exposures may reduce respiratory symptoms and the decline in pulmonary function.

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