Cladosporium species-related hypersensitivity pneumonitis in household environments.
Home-related chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is sometimes difficult to discriminate because patients do not have an obvious history of antigen exposure. We report two HP cases which developed in an office area and in a home: a 47-year-old woman with acute-onset HP and a 72-year-old woman with chronic HP followed up as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis following isolation of Cladosporium cladosporioides and Cladosporium herbarum, respectively. Lymphocyte stimulating activity and antibody titer to these fungi were increased in these patients. Since Cladosporium spp. and several other fungi are present ubiquitously in our living environment, it is difficult to eliminate the antigen from the patients' environment to control the disease. Cladosporium spp. can be key antigens in inducing chronic HP in the home environment.
Chiba
Shigeki
S
South Miyagi Medical Center, Miyagi.
Okada
Shinji
S
Suzuki
Yasuko
Y
Watanuki
Zenta
Z
Mitsuishi
Yoichiro
Y
Igusa
Ryotaro
R
Sekii
Takehiko
T
Uchiyama
Bine
B
D000542:Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001706:Biopsy; D002963:Cladosporium / Q000276:immunology; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000150:complications*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic
D000946:Antigens, Fungal