What’s farmer’s lung?

Farmer’s lung is a potentially serious allergic disease that mainly affects farmers. Here’s what you need to know.

Causes
Farmer’s lung is a disease that’s usually caused by breathing in dust from moldy hay that contains harmful spores and bacteria. However, dust from any moldy crop, including straw, grain, and tobacco, can cause the disease.

A recent study showed that exposure to organochlorines and carbamate pesticides may also be risk factors for farmer’s lung.

Along with farmers, anyone who handles hay or grain in large quantities is at risk of developing farmer’s lung. For example, zookeepers, poultry workers, stable workers, and pet store workers can also develop the condition.

Symptoms
The symptoms of farmer’s lung range from very mild to more serious depending on the person’s sensitivity to mold and the amount of mold inhaled. Symptoms include:

• Dry cough
• Shortness of breath
• Fever
• Muscle pain
• Rapid heart rate
• Significant weight loss
• Severe fatigue

The symptoms of farmer’s lung can last up to 12 weeks but may ease after 12 hours. However, because many of these symptoms are associated with other minor illnesses, like the common cold, many people with farmer’s lung don’t know they have it.

Treatment
If you have an acute episode of farmer’s lung, avoid contact with dust as much as possible. In severe cases, you may need to receive oxygen. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to relieve your symptoms and make it easier for you to breathe. However, there’s no cure for farmer’s lung, and you may experience hypersensitivity to moldy dust for the rest of your life.

If you think you have farmer’s lung, contact a health care professional immediately.