Article Text

Download PDFPDF

Furrier's lung
  1. J. Cortez Pimentel
  1. I.A.N.T. (Department of Pathology of Sanatorio D. Carlos I) and Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal

    Abstract

    As is known, the inhalation of animal hairs can provoke immunological reactions in the respiratory tract affecting the naso-tracheo-bronchial sector and giving rise to asthma-like syndromes. Another form of disease, found in furriers with long exposure to `hair dust', is described. It is characterized by a granulomatous interstitial pneumonia, of the tuberculoid type, very similar to that described in other diseases related to the inhalation of organic dusts, both vegetable and animal, such as `farmer's lung' and `bird fancier's lung'. This new disease—which we experimentally reproduced—can be diagnosed from the occupational history together with the finding on lung biopsy of hair shafts within granulomatous lesions (birefringence and histo-chemical reactions). As in other diseases of this type, a host factor of probable immunological nature is suggested. Attention is drawn to the need to protect workers in the furrier's trade.

    Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.