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$Unique_ID{BRK03446}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic}
$Subject{Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic Extrinsic Allergic Pneumonia Allergic
Interstitial Pneumonitis Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis Bagassosis Bathtub
Refinisher's Lung Bird Breeder Disease Cheese Worker's Lung Enzyme Detergent
Sensitivity Epoxy Resin Lung Farmer Lung Laboratory Technician's Lung
Maltworker Lung Maple Bark Stripper Disease Mushroom Picker Disease Mushroom
Worker's Lung Pituitary Snuff Taker's Lung Plastic Worker's Lung Poultry
Raiser Disease Sequoiosis Suberosis Ventilation Pneumonitis Wheat Weevil
Disease Fibrosing Alveolitis Sarcoidosis Desquamative Interstitial Pneumonia
Asthma}
$Volume{}
$Log{}
Copyright (C) 1987, 1989 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
431:
Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic
** IMPORTANT **
It is possible the main title of the article (Extrinsic Allergic
Alveolitis) is not the name you expected. Please check the SYNONYMS listing
on the next page to find alternate names and disorder subdivisions covered by
this article.
Synonyms
Extrinsic Allergic Pneumonia
Allergic Interstitial Pneumonitis
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
DISORDER SUBDIVISIONS
Bagassosis
Bathtub Refinisher's Lung
Bird Breeder Disease
Cheese Worker's Lung
Enzyme Detergent Sensitivity
Epoxy Resin Lung
Farmer Lung
Laboratory Technician's Lung
Maltworker Lung
Maple Bark Stripper Disease
Mushroom Picker Disease
Mushroom Worker's Lung
Pituitary Snuff Taker's Lung
Plastic Worker's Lung
Poultry Raiser Disease
Sequoiosis
Suberosis
Ventilation Pneumonitis
Wheat Weevil Disease
Information on the following diseases can be found in the Related
Disorders section of this report:
Asthma
Fibrosing Alveolitis
Sarcoidosis
Desquamative Interstitial Pneumonia
General Discussion
** REMINDER **
The information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for
educational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment
purposes. If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please
contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the "Resources
section of this report.
Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis is a lung disorder resulting from repeated
inhalation of organic dust, usually in a specific occupational setting. In
the acute form, respiratory symptoms and fever start several hours after
exposure to the dust. The chronic form is characterized by gradual changes
in the lung tissue associated with several years of exposure to the irritant.
Symptoms
In general, symptoms of all forms of Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis include
breathing difficulty, wheezing, and dry coughs which appear to shake the
entire body. Chills, sweating, aching, discomfort and/or fatigue may
accompany lung symptoms. Most cases of this disorder are characterized by
mild, short episodes which may be misdiagnosed. Chronic cases may develop
with repeated episodes or prolonged exposure to a specific organic dust.
These may involve more severe symptoms including fever, crackling sounds
during breathing (rales), breathing difficulty, bluish appearance of the skin
(cyanosis), and possibly, expectoration of blood.
Causes
Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis is caused by repeated exposure to organic
substances including a wide variety of those substances usually associated
with specific occupational settings may be linked to this disorder. These
may include irritants associated with birds (avian dust), cheese
manufacturing (mold), sugar manufacturing (moldy sugar cane dust), bath tub
refinishing (paint catalyst), farming (moldy hay dust), mushroom farming
(mushroom compost), laboratory technician (rat or gerbil urine residue),
tobacco (snuff), heating and cooling systems (moldy water), malt working/beer
brewing (moldy barley), maple bark disease (moldy maple bark dust),
sequoiosis (moldy redwood bark dust), Suberosis (moldy cork dust), plastic
working (plastic residue), epoxy resin (heated epoxy residue), enzyme
detergent (dust), or wheat weevil disease (wheat mold or dust).
Affected Population
Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis may affect males and females in equal numbers,
but usually affects individuals in occupations where an irritant substance
is inhaled by people who are allergic to the substance.
Related Disorders
Symptoms of the following disorders can be similar to Extrinsic Allergic
Alveolitis. Comparisons may be useful for a differential diagnosis:
Asthma is characterized by breathing difficulty caused by a wide variety
of factors, often associated with allergies. In general, the air passages
become narrowed and may return to normal spontaneously, although treatment is
often necessary. Long-term cases can diminish in severity, depending on the
underlying cause and method of treatment. There is no known cure, but
attacks may be controlled to various degrees.
Fibrosing Alveolitis, also known as Acute Pulmonary Alveolitis, is an
inflammatory lung disorder characterized by abnormal formation of fibrous
tissue between tiny air sacs (alveoli) or ducts in the lungs. Coughing and
rapid, shallow breathing may develop even with moderate exercise. The skin
may become bluish (cyanotic) due to lack of oxygen circulating in the blood.
Complications such as infections, emphysema or heart problems may develop.
(For more information on this disorder, choose "Fibrosing Alveolitis" as your
search term in the Rare Disease Database).
Sarcoidosis is a disorder that affects many body systems. It is
characterized by small round lesions (tubercles) in tissue. Symptoms may
vary depending on the severity of the disease and the proportion of the body
that is affected. Widespread lung involvement may occur with or follow lymph
node involvement. This infiltration may have a fine "ground-glass"
appearance on X-rays, and may appear to have an unusual pattern, or resemble
tumors. Lung involvement is usually characterized by coughing and breathing
difficulty, although these symptoms can be mild or even absent. (For more
information on this disorder, choose "Sarcoidosis" as your search term in the
Rare Disease Database).
Desquamative Interstitial Pneumonia is a chronic form of pneumonia. The
exact cause of this disorder is not known. Symptoms are caused by shedding
of large alveolar cells (desquamation) in the lungs and thickening of the
walls of the air passages. This disorder is characterized by breathing
difficulty and accompanied by a harsh cough that does not seem to clear the
obstruction.
Therapies: Standard
Treatment of Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis initially depends on
identification of organic substance causing the allergic reaction. If
possible, the patient should avoid exposure to the allergen. In an
occupational setting, mild cases may be alleviated by improved ventilation or
use of air filtering masks. In severe or prolonged cases, however, changing
jobs may be the best option. If symptoms persist in spite of avoidance,
corticosteroid drugs may be tried. In acute cases, steroids in combination
with avoidance measures can often reduce the severity of symptoms. All
symptoms can usually be resolved in acute cases if they are diagnosed and
treated early before permanent changes in the lungs can develop. If
permanent lung changes have occurred at the time of diagnosis, it is possible
that the patient may not respond well to treatment.
Therapies: Investigational
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through
October 1987. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep
every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate.
Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most
current information about this disorder.
Resources
For more information on Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis, please contact:
National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
P.O. Box 8923
New Fairfield, CT 06812-1783
(203) 746-6518
American Lung Association
1740 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
(212) 315-8700
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases (NIAID)
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892
(301) 496-5717
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Public Affairs Office
P.O. Box 12233
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
(919) 541-3345
References
EXTRINSIC ALLERGIC ALVEOLITIS IN CHILDREN. APROPOS OF 4 CASES: M. Bost, et
al.; Pediatrie (June 1984, issue 39(4)). Pp. 253-260.
ALLERGIC ALVEOLITIS (PATHOGENESIS AND DIAGNOSIS): K.C. Bergman; A
Gesamte Inn Med (January 15, 1980, issue 35 (2)). Pp. 77-80.
DIAGNOSTIC APPROACH TO NEW OR UNRECOGNIZED RISKS IN HYPERSENSITIVITY
PNEUMOPATHIES: C. Molina; Rev Fr Mal Respir (1983, issue 11 (4)). Pp. 427-
438.