WHO GETS HYPERSENSITIVITY PNEUMONITIS?
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis occurs most often in people exposed to certain organic dusts in their daily work or living, especially dusts which contain fungus spores from mold. Only a small proportion of people who are exposed, perhaps 5 to 20 percent, develop the disease. When there is frequent exposure to high concentrations of the offending substances, the likelihood of developing hypersensitivity pneumonitis is greatest. WHAT CAUSES HYPERSENSITIVITY PNEUMONITIS? The disease is caused by organic material that is inhaled as a fine dust. Sensitization (allergy) develops over a period of several months to a number of years. Farmer’s lung is the best-known example. It is caused by an organism that grows on hay, straw, or grains, and by other organic materials found on farms. Also known to cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis are dusts from moldy sugar cane and barley, maple bark, cork, animal hair, bird feathers and droppings, mushroom compost, coffee beans, and paprika. Often the disease
