Occupational lung disease following long-term inhalation of pancreatic extracts

Fourteen employees of a pharmaceutical company, who had been exposed to porcine pancreatic and other organic dusts for 1-18 years were examined because of exercise dyspnea and asthmatic attacks. Airway obstruction or bronchial hyperreactivity and disturbance of oxygen diffusion were present in all cases. Two patients showed evidence of acute alveolitis and 3 had radiological signs of mild fibrosis, whilst emphysema dominated in 7 others. Skin tests and bronchial provocation revealed hyperreactivity to pancreatic extracts. Pancreatic alpha-amylase was determined as a causative allergen for Type I allergy symptoms by means of RAST. Three pathomechanisms of the lung diseases are discussed: 1) Type I allergy of the airways to pancreatic enzymes, 2) broncho-alveolar Type III reaction to porcine proteins; and 3) proteolytic damage of the lung tissue and an increase of non-specific bronchial reactivity.