Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

[Wood chip alveolitis].

D Müller-Wening1, T Renck, M Neuhauss

  • 1Zusamklinik der LVA Schwaben.

Pneumologie (Stuttgart, Germany)
|August 13, 1999
PubMed
Summary

A farmer developed shortness of breath due to exposure to fuel chip dust, leading to a diagnosis of fuel chip-induced exogenous allergic alveolitis (EAA). Inhalative challenge tests confirmed fuel chips as the cause, highlighting the importance of specialized centers for diagnosis.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

[Guidelines for diagnosing extrinsic allergic alveolitis (hypersensitivity pneumonitis) (German Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis Study Group)].

Pneumologie (Stuttgart, Germany)·2007
Same author

[Swimming pool lung -- extrinsic allergic alveolitis or mycobacterial disease?].

Pneumologie (Stuttgart, Germany)·2006
Same author

[Humidifier-associated disease in the general population].

Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)·2006
Same author

[Misting-fountain-alveolitis].

Pneumologie (Stuttgart, Germany)·2004
Same author

[Diffuse pulmonary ossifications with mortal consequences. A case report].

Der Pathologe·2003
Same author

[German Society of Pneumology. Recommendations for prevention of occupational asthma].

Pneumologie (Stuttgart, Germany)·1998

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonology
  • Allergy and Immunology
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Farmer's lung is a hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by inhaling organic dusts.
  • Exposure to agricultural materials like hay, straw, and animal dander can trigger immune responses.
  • Fuel chips, increasingly used for heating, represent a potential, less-recognized source of allergens.

Observation:

  • A 52-year-old farmer presented with exertional dyspnea after prolonged exposure to hay, straw, pigeons, and fuel chip dust.
  • Immunological tests revealed IgG antibodies against fuel chips, thermophilic actinomycetes, and various fungi, but not against pigeon-related allergens.
  • Inhalative challenge tests using hay/straw dust were negative, but challenge with fuel chip dust induced severe respiratory and systemic reactions.

Findings:

  • The patient exhibited significant drops in PO2 and vital capacity, alongside increased body temperature and leucocyte count after fuel chip inhalation.
  • Chest X-rays revealed interstitial infiltrates, confirming a severe reaction consistent with exogenous allergic alveolitis (EAA).
  • Diagnosis of fuel chip-induced EAA was confirmed, with the patient responding to oxygen and corticosteroid treatment.

Implications:

  • Inhalative provocation tests are crucial for diagnosing EAA, but require careful consideration of exposure type and duration.
  • Due to the risk of severe reactions, EAA inhalative challenges should only be conducted in specialized centers with intensive care capabilities.
  • The increasing use of fuel chips necessitates increased awareness among farmers and healthcare providers regarding this potential cause of EAA.

Related Experiment Videos