Allergic pneumonitis

Allergic pneumonia is an inflammatory disease caused by inhalation of a variety of environmental antigens. The most common etiologic factors for allergic alveolitis are antigens present in rotten hay (spores of thermophilic radionuclides) and proteins contained in faeces of birds and animal hair. The two most common forms of allergic alveolitis are the farmer's lungs and the lungs of the bird breeder. Histopathological findings include CD8 + lymphocyte infiltrates and foam macrophages in interstitial tissue, bronchioles and pulmonary vesicles. These are accompanied by poorly formed granulomas and giant multinucleated giant cells scattered throughout the lung, as well as peri-pulmonary fibrosis and clusters of lymphoid tissue. Allergic pneumonitis may take the form of acute, subacute or chronic. In acute illness, symptoms appear after 4-12 hours after exposure to the causative agent. Fever, chills, shortness of breath, cough, and a cracking of the lung fields are present. In laboratory tests transient leukocytosis is observed. Clinical improvement occurs within 24-48 hours if the patient is not exposed to the allergen again. In the chronic form of the disease there is a sneaky increase in dyspnea. This is most often accompanied by chronic cough, weight loss and reduced exercise tolerance. Distinction of acute and subacute forms of allergic alveolitis is often difficult. It is believed that their appearance depends more on the course of allergen exposure than on the allergen type.

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