Farmer's lung history and symptoms

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Shaik Aisha sultana, [2]


Overview

There is no single, simple test to distinguish between Farmer's Lung and other types of lung diseases. The most important evidence for Farmer's Lung is the history of exposure to dust from moldy hay or other moldy crops and the development of signs and symptoms 4 to 8 hours later. This is why it is so important for a doctor to know if a patient with shortness of breath has been exposed to moldy crops.

History

There is no single, simple test to distinguish between Farmer's Lung and other types of lung diseases. The most important evidence for Farmer's Lung is the history of exposure to dust from moldy hay or other moldy crops and the development of signs and symptoms 4 to 8 hours later. This is why it is so important for a doctor to know if a patient with shortness of breath has been exposed to moldy crops.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of Farmer's Lung disease vary tremendously. At one extreme, there are the symptoms associated with a sudden attack; at the other extreme, there are the symptoms associated with a slow progressive illness.

The allergic response of the afflicted person depends on the sensitivity of the individual and the amount of moldy dust entering the lungs. There are three different types of allergic responses: acute or intense attack, sub-acute or low-level response, and chronic or long-term response.

Acute Farmer's Lung

Acute Farmer's lung is easy to notice and occurs in about one in three cases. It starts as an intense attack about 4 to 8 hours after the person breathes in a large amount of dust from moldy crops. These are some of the signs and symptoms:

If the person avoids further exposure to moldy dust, the signs and symptoms usually decrease after 12 hours, but they can last up to two weeks. Serious attacks can last as long as 12 weeks. The symptoms are sometimes confused with pneumonia.

Sub-acute Farmer's Lung

Sub-acute Farmer's lung is more common than acute Farmer's Lung but it is less intense and more difficult to notice. It develops slowly, responding to continual exposure to small amounts of moldy dust. The signs and symptoms include:

People who are sensitive to dust from moldy crops continue to exhibit these signs and symptoms as long as they are exposed to the dust. This condition sometimes resembles a "chest cold" that lingers throughout the winter. Some people lose weight over several weeks.

Chronic Farmer's Lung

Chronic Farmer's lung develops after several acute attacks over a period of years. It afflicts people who have been continually exposed to large amounts of moldy dust.

Sometimes, the illness lasts several months and is marked by increasing:

The symptoms are accompanied by permanent lung damage and gradually worsen as exposure to moldy dust continues.

References

  1. Warren CP (February 1977). "Lung disease in farmers". Can Med Assoc J. 116 (4): 391–4. PMC 1879238. PMID 321110.