Two hundreds and seventy one cases of sera of farmers (48.8±10.8 yr.) in mountain district of Kumamoto prefecture were examined by gel diffusion test for precipitins to M. faeni, T. vulgaris and other 12 antigens of fungus and pigeon proteins.
Ten positive sera (3.7%) from 271 sera tested were detected to M. faeni and 13 were to T. vulgaris. The confidence intervals (95%) of the positive ratiowas calculated 1.8%-6.6%and 2.3%-7.4%, respectively. To other 10 antigens 1-22 sera were positive, such as C. corticale (0.1%-2.7%, as confidence intervals), S.granarius (4.9%-11.4%), P. pullulans (0.4%-3.7%), Aspergillus mix (0.6%-4.2%), Pigeon serum & droppings (0.2%-3.1%), C. acremonium (0.8%-4.7%), T. viride (0.0%-2.0%), Candida (1.6%-6.2%) and P.casei (0.2%-3.1%). NO cases were positive toCladsporium and Alternaria. And 61 cases (17.5%-27.5%) were positive to at least one antigen of all 14 tested.
There was no significance of the proportions of positive reactions between male and female, or age groups. But higher percentagewas found in farmers longer experience of works with hay, straw and compost. Thepresence of a positive precipitin test has been considered as unsatisfactory criterion for the diagnosis of the farmer's lung. However, the findings of our survey suggest that farmers in West Japan has been exposed relatively high amount and/or various kinds of fungus antigens throughout the farm works with hay, straw and compost.