Search

Clinical Topics

Lung Disease

Rural Practitioners

Rural Educators  

Last updated 1/17/03

• Recurrent acute pneumonia with fever, dyspnea, cough, and malaise
• Often asymptomatic or presenting as recurrent febrile upper respiratory infections.
• Symptoms reoccur 4 to 6 hours after minimal reexposure to a previous sensitized to antigen
• Subside in hours to several days

Pathophysiology

• Appears to be combined Type III (immune-complex rxn) and Type IV (cell mediated immunity) immune response
• Primary sensitization to inhaled antigens occurs over 6 to 10 weeks.

Treatment & Prevention

• Prevention of reexposure to the antigen is most important
• Continual or repeated acute exposures may result in chronic disease with pulmonary fibrosis
• Steroids may be helpful in acute disease