Byssinosis overview
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
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Byssinosis Microchapters |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Case Studies |
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Byssinosis overview On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Byssinosis overview |
Overview
Byssinosis is a disease of the lungs brought on by breathing in cotton dust or dusts from other vegetable fibers such as flax, hemp, or sisal while at work.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), also called extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA), is not a single disease but is a complex syndrome of varying intensity, clinical presentation, and natural history.
Synonyms and related keywords: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, HP, bird fancier's lung, extrinsic allergic alveolitis, farmer's lung, Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula, S rectivirgula, Micropolyspora faeni, M faeni, Thermoactinomyces sacchari, T sacchari, Thermoactinomyces vulgaris, T vulgaris, Penicillium casei, P casei, Aspergillus clavatus, A clavatus, Mucor stolonifer, M stolonifer, Sitophilus granarius, S granarius, Cladosporium, heykatarr, bagassosis, grain handler's lung, humidifier lung, air-conditioner lung, bird breeder's lung, cheese worker's lung, malt worker's lung,paprika splitter's lung, mollusk shell hypersensitivity, chemical worker's lung, pulmonary disease, lung disease.
Historical Perspective
The syndrome was first described in Iceland in 1874 and termed heykatarr.
Pathophysiology
The syndrome is caused by sensitization to repeated inhalation of dusts containing one of 300 organic antigens. These organic dusts come from a wide variety of sources but most commonly include:
- Dairy and grain products
- Animal dander and protein
- Wood bark
- Water reservoir vaporizers
The two most common antigens are:
- Thermophilic actinomycetes and
- Avian proteins
As a rseult of exposure to thee antigens, the two most common causes (i.e. diseases) are: