My Account

Bagpipe Lung: A Fatal Case Of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

luke-curtis
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is a form of inflammatory lung disease mediated by inhaled allergen(s) and can progress to disabling or fatal lung disease. A number of different types of mold (fungi) and bacteria can trigger HP- as can exposure to birds, dusty food items such as flour and other types of dust. 


A case study was presented of a
61 year old man with a 7-year history of dry cough and breathlessness. His walking tolerance declined from more than 10 kilometers to only 20 meters during these 7 years. The patient was a life-long non-smoker, without any obvious exposures to birds, pesticides, second hand tobacco / wood smoke, or visible mold. He played the bagpipes daily as a hobby. He suffered a severe decline in lung capacity- with a forced vital capacity (FVC) of only 1.48 liters- only 34% of expected. Lung biopsy showed interstitial fibrosis and poorly formed granulomas. He was admitted to hospital with shortness of breath at age 61. In spite of intense hospital treatment including oxygen therapy and antibiotics, he died a month later.

{module CYWTGH}

Samples from the bagpipes revealed large number of molds (fungi) including Paecilomyces variotti, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium species, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Trichosporon, pink yeast, and Exophilia dermatidi. Earlier case studies were reported of musicians developing hypersensitivity pneumonitis after playing a saxophone and trombone contaminated with mold. Fortunately, these 2 cases recovered after cleaning the instruments with detergent or 91% isopropyl alcohol. Keeping wind instruments clean and dry is critical for preventing growth of mold and bacteria on wind instruments.

 

References / Sources

King, J., Richardson, M., Quinn, A. M., Holme, J., & Chaudhuri, N. (2016). Bagpipe lung; a new type of interstitial lung disease? Thorax. doi:10.1136/thoraxjnl-2016-208751


{flike}
 

Related Articles and videos
{module Related Articles}

{fcomments}

Share on Facebook
Share on Reddit
Share via Email
Share on Twitter

Leave a Reply

Recent Articles

Weekly Q&A Show

Featured Sponsor

Follow Us

Doug's Books

Doug Kaufmann has written many books that cover a full range or health issues. Find out which of his books best suits you by clicking the button below.

The Kaufmann Diet

Doug Kaufmann developed his diet after years studying the clinical effects of pathogenic fungi on the body. Fungi and yeasts can become parasitic organisms on and inside our body, causing health problems that can be difficult to diagnose. Learn more about the Kaufmann Diet, change your life and know the cause.

The Science of Fungus

We encourage all visitors to this site to take some time and study these technical articles prior to initiating lifestyle changes, including dietary changes and to do so with their physician’s awareness and approval. The articles posted in this link are scientific and with few exceptions are taken from medical journals familiar to healthcare workers.

Our Healthy Recipes

Looking for help assembling antifungal Kaufmann Diet approved recipes for breakfast, lunch or dinner? We have several videos, books and recipe write ups here on Know the Cause that will help your health journey. The recipes in this section are so good, you’ll feel like you’re indulging. No sacrifice needed! Enjoy.