Farmer's Lung

A form of alveolitis or pneumonitis due to an acquired hypersensitivity to inhaled antigens associated with farm environment. Antigens in the farm dust are commonly from bacteria actinomycetes (SACCHAROPOLYSPORA and THERMOACTINOMYCES), fungi, and animal proteins in the soil, straw, crops, pelts, serum, and excreta.

Also Known As:

Networked: 207 relevant articles (3 outcomes, 30 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Related Diseases

1.	Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis (Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis)
2.	Sarcoidosis (Schaumann Disease)
3.	Fibrosis (Cirrhosis)
4.	Granuloma
5.	Bronchitis

Experts

1.	Dalphin, Jean-Charles: 3 articles (12/2014 - 10/2007)
2.	Reboux, Gabriel: 3 articles (12/2014 - 10/2007)
3.	Millon, Laurence: 3 articles (12/2014 - 10/2007)
4.	Roussel, Sandrine: 3 articles (12/2014 - 10/2007)
5.	Monod, Michel: 2 articles (12/2014 - 09/2012)
6.	Quadroni, Manfredo: 2 articles (12/2014 - 09/2012)
7.	Barrera, Coralie: 2 articles (12/2014 - 09/2012)
8.	Fellrath, Jean-Marc: 2 articles (12/2014 - 09/2012)
9.	Nakazato, Masamitsu: 2 articles (01/2008 - 12/2004)
10.	Yanagi, Shigehisa: 2 articles (01/2008 - 12/2004)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Farmer's Lung:

1.	AntigensIBA 09/01/1991 - "Thermophilic actinomycetes of the genus Streptomyces are probably the antigens associated with farmer's lung in the Doubs, and modern farms with barn drying and heating furnish some protection against this disease." 05/01/2012 - "In this study the sera of 64 farmers with a suspicion of farmer's lung were examined for the following further antigens: Wallemia sebi, Cladosporium herbarum, Aspergillus versicolor, and Eurotium amstelodami. " 05/01/2012 - "Recent studies suggest that besides the long-known farmer's lung antigen sources Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula (Micropolyspora faeni), Thermoactinomyces vulgaris, and Aspergillus fumigatus, additionally the mold Absidia (Lichtheimia) corymbifera as well as the bacteria Erwinia herbicola (Pantoea agglomerans) and Streptomyces albus may cause farmer's lung in Germany. " 12/01/1996 - "Further studies are needed to verify whether farmers can develop farmer's lung or other lung responses to this new potential antigen." 09/01/2012 - "Aspergillus species recombinant antigens for serodiagnosis of farmer's lung disease."
2.	Immunoglobulin G (IgG)IBA 10/01/1985 - "From these studies, we concluded that the assay of specific IgG antibody activity to thermophilic actinomyces by ELISA is useful for the diagnosis and screening of farmer's lung disease." 05/01/1981 - "A study of immunoglobulin G subclasses in patients with farmer's lung." 11/01/1999 - "We measured IgG antibody levels against eight different microbes in farmer's lung (FL) patients an average of 14 years after the first diagnosed episode of FL and in matched controls. " 12/01/1998 - "Significantly higher IgG antibody levels against the fungi studied were observed in farmer's lung patients and asymptomatic farmers with high IgG levels against other agricultural fungi, than in the control group. " 08/01/1996 - "We approached these problems by investigating the serologic reaction of patients with farmer's lung and demonstrated specific binding of patients' IgG2 to S. "
3.	Ribosomal DNA (rDNA)IBA 12/01/2002 - "Improved molecular identification of Thermoactinomyces spp. associated with mushroom worker's lung by 16S rDNA sequence typing." 12/01/2002 - "Mushroom worker's lung (MWL) is a hypersensitivity pneumonitis or allergic alveolitis caused by a type III IgG-mediated immunopathogenic inflammatory reaction in the host due to the inhalation of several thermophilic organisms, including Thermoactinomyces spp. It is difficult to distinguish phenotypically the eight species of this genus; therefore, this study sought to develop an improved molecular means of identifying Thermoactinomyces spp. associated with MWL by partial 16S rDNA PCR amplification and direct sequencing. "
4.	Interleukin-1 (Interleukin 1)IBA 04/01/1993 - "IL-1 was also spontaneously secreted in significantly greater amounts by patients with acute Farmer's lung than by subjects in a control group (p = 0.0001). " 04/01/1993 - "We examined the interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) releasability of alveolar macrophages and the natural killer (NK) cell activity in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells of 11 patients with Farmer's lung at different stages of the disease. "
5.	AntibodiesIBA 01/01/1992 - "The diagnostic curriculum to clarify a case of farmer's lung in a fibrotic stage is presented, including clinical functional tests, X-ray, analysis of cellular elements recovered from bronchioalveolar lavage, determination of precipitating antibodies in the circulation, histological and immunohistological studies of transbronchial lung biopsies. " 01/01/1985 - "[A fatal case of farmer's lung: a study of specific classes of antibodies in the serum and broncho-alveolar lavage]." 09/01/1978 - "Farmer's lung disease among farmers with precipitating antibodies to the thermophilic actinomycetes: a clinical and immunologic study." 10/01/1995 - "Although the prevalence of serum precipitating antibodies for farmer's lung disease (FLD) is lower in smokers than in nonsmokers and FLD predominates in nonsmokers, the affects of smoking on the clinical course of the disease is not known. " 07/01/1995 - "In polyethlyene glycol precipitates from Farmer's Lung patients, specific antibodies found by ELISA correlated well with serum positivity, but they were not found in EAPP subjects. "
6.	PrecipitinsIBA 06/01/1989 - "Only one subject developed farmer's lung; he had precipitins in both studies. " 06/01/1988 - "The prevalence of farmer's lung was studied in five districts of the French Doubs province (Rougemont, Clerval, Levier, Montbenoît, Mouthe) on the basis of a medical and occupational questionnaire and serological studies for precipitins. " 01/01/1987 - "According to earlier studies, serum precipitins to Thermoactinomyces vulgaris are associated with farmer's lung. " 10/01/1994 - "In a French region where farmer's lung (FL) is common, we determined the prevalence of FL precipitins in dairy farmers and analyzed the relation between the presence of FL precipitins and the clinical probability of the disease. " 10/01/1994 - "Farmer's lung precipitins in Doubs (a department of France): prevalence and diagnostic value."
7.	Collagen Type III (Type III Collagen)IBA 10/03/1987 - "It was concluded that in farmer's lung release of hyaluronate and type III procollagen peptide reflects activity of the disease. " 10/03/1987 - "Hyaluronate and type III procollagen peptide concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as markers of disease activity in farmer's lung." 10/01/1993 - "Hyaluronic acid (HA), type III procollagen, fibronectin, and fibroblast growth factors (FGF) were measured in 43 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimens obtained from 38 patients with farmer's lung (FL) and in BALF of 9 nonexposed normal control subjects. " 07/01/1993 - "This study evaluates the long-term outcome of farmer's lung (FL), adding high-resolution computed tomograms (HRCT) to previously reported procedures and verifying whether bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid markers or substrates of fibrosis (hyaluronic acid, Type III procollagen, fibronectin, and fibroblast growth factors) (FF) predict outcome. " 01/01/1986 - "Serum galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity (S-GGT) and serum procollagen type III aminoterminal propeptide concentration (S-PRO(III)-N-P) were measured in 40 patients with farmer's lung at the time of an acute attack of the disease and 6 months later in order to study the usefulness of these serum markers for predicting the development of interstitial lung fibrosis. "
8.	Peptide Hydrolases (Proteases)IBA 10/01/1989 - "[Experimental and clinical studies on the pathogenicity of extracellular proteinases of Streptomyces thermohygroscopicus in farmer's lung]." 05/01/1983 - "Isolation and possible relevance of Thermoactinomyces candidus proteinases in farmer's lung disease." 03/01/1977 - "Possible implications of these proteolytic enzymes in the pathogenesis of farmer's lung are discussed." 08/01/1993 - "Because activated neutrophils release toxic oxygen metabolites and proteinases, we hypothesized that the pulmonary reaction in farmer's lung may be induced by the secretory products of activated neutrophils. " 05/01/1983 - "The presence of proteolytic activity in aerosolized dust from moldy silage was demonstrated, and antibodies to two proteolytic enzymes from Thermoactinomyces candidus were found in the blood of farmer's lung patients who had been sensitized to this organism. "
9.	Immunoglobulins (Immunoglobulin)IBA 05/01/1992 - "The aim of the present study was to determine which microbes and which immunoglobulin (Ig) classes should be included in tests to discriminate between patients with farmer's lung and reference persons. " 11/01/1973 - "Serum immunoglobulin levels in farmer's lung disease." 11/01/1973 - "Quantitation of antibody to particulate antigens using a radiolabelled anti-immunoglobulin reagent: application to estimation of antibody in farmer's lung syndrome." 02/01/1974 - "It is suggested that farmer's lung may involve a cytotoxic type II reaction, in which glycoproteins adsorbed to tissue cells react with IgG, IgA and IgM immunoglobulins in the presence of complement, causing cellular damage."
10.	Complement System Proteins (Complement)IBA 09/01/1967 - "The complement-fixation test in farmer's lung: a preliminary study." 11/01/1978 - "The ability of several cell wall fractions of Micropolyspora faeni, a thermophilic actinomycete associated with farmer's lung disease, to activate complement is reported. " 07/01/1983 - "Circulating IgG immune complexes (CICs), IgM rheumatoid factors (RFs), complement level (C3 and C4), and IgG antibodies to Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus umbrosus, Thermoactinomyces vulgaris, and Micropolyspora faeni were analysed in the sera of 14 patients with farmer's lung (FL), 10 in the acute and four in the subacute phase of the disease. " 02/01/1974 - "It is suggested that farmer's lung may involve a cytotoxic type II reaction, in which glycoproteins adsorbed to tissue cells react with IgG, IgA and IgM immunoglobulins in the presence of complement, causing cellular damage."

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Mechanical Ventilators (Ventilator) 01/01/1987 - "The results indicate that powered respirator helmets have protective value in farmer's lung and are appropriate for long-term use. " 01/01/1987 - "Protective value of powered dust respirator helmet for farmers with farmer's lung." 03/01/1986 - "The patients out of 11 believed that the dust respirator is useful for prevention against the development of farmer's lung. " 07/01/1971 - "The use of dust respirators in the prevention of recurrence of farmer's lung." 01/01/1987 - "Participation in the intervention influenced the acquisition of dust respirators more than did occurrence of symptoms of chronic bronchitis or farmer's lung."
2.	X-Ray Film 04/01/1985 - "We classified the radiologic findings of 93 patients with acute or subacute farmer's lung (FL) disease by type and severity of the change in chest x-ray film. "
3.	Respiratory Protective Devices (Gas Mask) 05/01/1990 - "[Comparison of the protective action of 2 respiratory protective devices in farmers with farmer's lung]."
4.	Injections 11/01/1984 - "faeni), the agent responsible for farmer's lung disease, with 3 sensitizing and 2, 4, or 8 challenge intratracheal injections. "
5.	Drug Therapy (Chemotherapy) 01/01/1975 - "Examples for allergic diseases are: "Asthma bronchiale, pigeon-breeder disease, mite-allergy, farmer's lung, drug-induced allergy", and for autoimmune diseases: "Lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, polyarteritis nodosa, idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis." The drug-therapy consists of corticoids and immune-suppressive drugs."