Farmer lung

Farmers lung (FL) is an exogenous allergic (hypersensitivity) alveolitis caused by inhalation of organic dust containing thermophilic actinomyces. Patients are mostly engaged in agricultural production, so they are called farmers' lungs. In addition, there are sugar cane pneumoconiosis, mushroom pneumoconiosis, potato pneumoconiosis, humidifier lung (or air-conditioner lung), etc., which can occur due to their living environment containing a large number of thermophilic actinomyces. Some people classify allergic pneumonitis (hypersensitivity pneumonitis) as such diseases, but the meaning of allergic pneumonia is broader and should be distinguished. Foreign reports on farmers 'lungs began in 1932, but the etiology was unknown at that time. It was not confirmed that the disease was associated with type III until Pepys et al. Found antibodies against thermophilic actinomyces antigen in the serum of farmers' lungs in 1962. Allergy-related diseases. In China in 1981, cases of peasant lung confirmed by autopsy have been reported.