A Case of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis Caused by a Humidifier

Abstract

A 34 year-old man was admitted complaining of fever and exertional dyspnea. He had allergic factors in his family and past history. On admission, his chest X-ray showed no abnormal findings but fine creakles were auscultated. ⁶⁷Ga scintigram showed strong diffuse accumlation in both lungs, and the results of TBLB and BAL suggested granulomatous hypersensitivity pneumonitis. From these findings, the relation of his symptoms to the use of a humidifier in his house, and the results of a provocation test, we suspected humidifier lung. Because the provocation test was positive, a diagnosis of humildifier lung was made.