[Investigation on an outbreak of allergic pulmonary alveolitis]

20 allergic alveolitis cases occurred abruptly within 10 days among teachers at a primary school in Shanghai. The cases make up 42.6% (20/47) of total staffs of the school. No patient discovered in pupils (137) though they had enough chance to contact with their teachers suffering the disease. Roentgenography and clinical findings were criteria of diagnosis. The findings of epidemiologic survey showed that the outbreak was caused by a single exposure of same agent, probably associated with sugarcane. The result of examinations in laboratory shows: 1. The content of IgE increased significantly in serum of convalescence patients. 2. Penicillium and Mucor were found as prevailing fungus strains benign isolated from the surface of sugarcane. 3. Did not find ascarid larva in sputum nor eggs in feces. In this paper we inferred reasonably that breathing of dust with fungus may be the cause of the outbreak.