Humidifier lung. An outbreak in office workers.
Symptoms consistent with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) occurred in 26 of 50 employees working in a localized area of a large factory. This area was served by a single heating-cooling unit utilizing a water humidification system. The illness consisted of flu-like symptoms with fever, chills, headache, cough, dyspnea. Most of the subjects affected demonstrated precipitating antibodies to a variety of organisms associated with HP, and inhalation challenge with water from the humidification system resulted in the reproduction of symptoms in one employee with a history suggestive of HP. Removal of the humidification system has resulted in a "cure" in that symptoms have not recurred during a one year followup period since the removal.
D000542:Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis; D014871:Water Microbiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D008670:Metals; D014867:Water