Flock Worker's Lung
Authors: David G. Kern
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1999)

Letters6 April 1999Flock Worker's LungDavid G. Kern, MD, Robert S. Crausman, MD, and Charles Kuhn III, MDDavid G. Kern, MDBrown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Kern)Brown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Crausman)Brown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Kuhn)Search for more papers by this author, Robert S. Crausman, MDBrown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Kern)Brown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Crausman)Brown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Kuhn)Search for more papers by this author, and Charles Kuhn III, MDBrown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Kern)Brown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Crausman)Brown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Kuhn)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-130-7-199904060-00027 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:Dr. Merrill claims that almost any lung disease fits our definition of flock worker's lung and that we did not carefully describe steps to exclude alternative diagnoses. We disagree. If one too narrowly restricts the case definition of a new disease, patients with less common manifestations of the disease will be excluded inappropriately. Furthermore, our case definition required tissue confirmation of interstitial lung disease or, when no biopsy specimen was available (n = 1), comparably specific findings. Dr. Merrill also complains that we lumped together cases showing eosinophil-predominant bronchoalveolar lavage fluid with cases showing lymphocyte predominance. However, it is widely ...References1. Rose CS, Martyny JW, Newman LS, Milton DK, King TE, Beebe JL, et al . “Lifegurard Lung”: endemic granulomatous pneumonitis in an indoor swimming pool. Am J Public Health. 1998;88:1795-800. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Leigh JP, Markowitz SB, Fahs M, Shin C, Landrigan PJ. Occupational injury and illness in the United States: estimates of costs, morbidity, and mortality. Arch Intern Med. 1997;157:1557-68. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Cherniak M. The Hawk's Nest Incident: America's Worst Industrial Disaster. New Haven, CT: Yale Univ Pr; 1986. Google Scholar4. Moya C, Anto JM, Newman-Taylor AJ. Outbreak of organising pneumonia in textile printing sprayers. Collaborative Group for the Study of Toxicity in Textile Aerographic Factories. Lancet. 1994;344:498-502. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Fleming LE, Ducatman AM, Shalat SL. Disease clusters: a central and ongoing role in occupational health. J Occup Med. 1991;33:818-25. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Brown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Kern)Brown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Crausman)Brown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02912 (Kuhn) PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoFlock Worker's Lung: Chronic Interstitial Lung Disease in the Nylon Flocking Industry David G. Kern , Robert S. Crausman , Kate T.H. Durand , Ali Nayer , and Charles Kuhn III Metrics 6 April 1999Volume 130, Issue 7Page: 615-616KeywordsHypersensitivityInterstitial lung diseasesLungsLymphocytesPathologistsPneumoniaPneumonitisPrevention, policy, and public healthRespiratorsSilicosis Issue Published: 6 April 1999 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1999 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...