Premium
THE DIAGNOSIS OF FARMER'S LUNG
Author(s) -
Bryant D. H.,
Weston M.,
Burns M. W.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1973.tb76509.x
Subject(s) - farmer's lung , incidence (geometry) , hay , extrinsic allergic alveolitis , medicine , lung , precipitin , hay fever , environmental health , pediatrics , allergy , immunology , biology , zoology , physics , antibody , optics
Farmer's lung is one of the commonest causes of extrinsic allergic alveolitis in countries in the northern hemisphere, but only one previous case has been reported in Australia. The low incidence of this disorder here is probably due to the low exposure of Australian farm workers to mouldy hay. A case is described and some features of the disorder are discussed. Confirmation of the diagnosis is best achieved by looking for precipitins to Micropoly–spora faeni, and the importance of making an early diagnosis in order to prevent permanent pulmonary disability is emphasized.