Correlation of exposure to various respiratory pathogens with farmer's lung disease.
Complement-fixing antibodies (CFA) to a panel of microorganisms commonly associated with respiratory disease were measured in a number of agricultural populations. The panel included Mycoplasma pneumoniae, influenza viruses A and B, parainfluenza virus types 1, 2, and 3, adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus. The agricultural populations were grouped according to a clinical history of farmer's lung disease (FLD) and the presence of antibodies to the thermophilic actinomycetes (TA). Farmers with precipitating antibody activity to one or more of the TA (groups I and II) demonstrated a greater frequency of CFA to M. pneumoniae and parainfluenza virus types 1, 2, and 3 than those groups without antibody to the TA, but the level of CFA was not higher in the positive subjects. Immunoglobulin levels were also elevated in groups I and II when compared to the control groups. Unlike IgG and IgM, IgA was elevated only in the farmers who had a clinical history of FLD (group I) but not in farmers without a clinical history. The results suggest that farmers who develop FLD are exposed to a wider variety of pathogens than are other farmers, but do not respond in an accelerated manner.
D000192:Actinomycetales / Q000276:immunology; D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000276:immunology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D005203:Farmer's Lung / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000276:immunology; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000276:immunology; D010222:Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology; D010223:Parainfluenza Virus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology; D010224:Parainfluenza Virus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M