The aerotoxic syndrome describes signs and symptoms in pilots and flight attendants associated with the flight environment. In some ways it resembles the sick building syndrome.
Clinical features:
(1) headache
(2) balance problems
(3) fatigue
(4) gastrointestinal complaints
(5) cognitive impairment
The clinical features have an onset after entering the plane, and stop after the person stops flying.
Hypotheses:
(1) fumes from engines, fuel or hydraulics
(2) allergy
Air quality studies have failed to demonstrate toxic chemicals but the studies may not have detected all possible chemical contaminants.
It is important to exclude other explanations, such as viral infection or food poisoning.
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