Tobacco worker lung

Category

Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

Acute/Chronic

Chronic

Synonyms

Tobacco worker's lung; Tobacco grower's lung;

Comments

Acute presentation: flu-like illness with cough;
Subacute: recurrent "pneumonia";
Chronic: exertional dyspnea, productive cough, and weight loss;
The exposure is to moldy tobacco dust, and the suspected antigen is the fungus Aspergillus sp. [Asthma in the Workplace, p. 399] See "Hypersensitivity pneumonitis."

Latency/Incubation

Weeks to years until "sensitized"; acute symptoms 4-12 hours after exposure;

Diagnostic

Clinical; Chest x-ray; HRCT; Pulmonary function testing; BAL; Lung biopsy;

ICD-9 Code

495.8

ICD-10 Code

J67.8

Reference Link

IDdx Link

Job Tasks

High risk job tasks associated with this disease:

• Repeatedly inhale dust of moldy tobacco

Agents

Hazardous agents that cause the occupational disease:

• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis antigens