Farmer's lung

As a farmer's lung ( syn.: . Dreschfieber, farmer's lung; closely farmer's disease) alveolitis extrinsic allergic cause is known.

Symptoms

3-12 hours of mostly solid (eg stable work) allergen exposure occur fever, difficulty breathing, coughing, chills and headache. The image resembles pneumonia. Within a few days the symptoms subside again. In the chronic form often only the symptoms of cough and shortness of breath at the center, which persist for months to years.

Cause

The reasons seem sensitizing organic materials mainly from spores of thermophilic actinomycetes, Aspergillus and other molds, further components of bird feathers and proteins of insects and shellfish. With the discovery of additional hazardous dusts are to be expected. Intensive contact, you are exposed to moldy and then dried hay especially when keeping birds ( droppings and dust) and the work. As the allergens inhaled mold components lead to inflammation of the alveoli and the intervening connective tissue, which is triggered by an immune complex reaction (mainly type III).

Follow

The acute form usually heals from consequences. In the chronic form may occur untreated, and sometimes in spite of treatment and allergen avoidance to scarring of lung tissue ( pulmonary fibrosis ). This can lead to difficulty breathing ( respiratory failure ) and to an increase in blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation with subsequent right heart failure (cor pulmonale).

Therapy

The patient or the patient should avoid contact with the allergen. If this is not possible, respiratory protection must be worn. In the chronic form a cortisone administration should be considered.

The farmer's lung is a notifiable occupational disease.