[Allergic alveolitis as a result of mold on the bedroom wall]

A 23-year-old woman patient became seriously ill with the typical signs and symptoms of allergic alveolitis and with deep hypoxemia during exercise. A broad spectrum of positive precipitating antibodies was found in the serum, mainly against Penicillium casei and Aureobasidium pullulans. Although she was intensively questioned on hobbies and on possible antigens at home and at work, it was only possible to trace an antigen source after a controlled antigen free period away from home in another environment and after a controlled reexposure experiment at home: it proved to be a patch of mould of 0.5 m2 on the bedroom wall. The filaments and the spores of the fungi of the mould were shown directly by microscope. Precipitating antibodies were also present against these fungi. After several antigen-free months (the patient moved into a dry and sunny new apartment) the threatening respiratory failure (severe hypoxemia during exercise) disappeared completely together with the clinical signs and symptoms. Thus, mould on bedroom walls may constitute a threat and should be considered in cases of allergic alveolitis of apparently unknown origin.