HYPERSENSITIVITY PNEUMONITIS RELATED TO A COVERED AND HEATED SWIMMINGPOOL ENVIRONMENT

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) or extrinsic allergic alveolitis is a lung disease caused by a large group of inhaled antigens of various sources. The most common HP occurring in the farm environment is class ically caused by exposure to various thermophilic actinomycetes and fu ngi that can grow in the farm environment. Pullularia species and ther mophilic actinomycetes have been involved in HP related to humidifier water and saunas. Our case illustrates the value of a site visit in th e diagnosis of HP. During a visit to the covered and heated swimming-p ool where our patient used to swim we could see that favourable condit ions to fungal growth existed. To determine the possible aetiological agents of a suspected HP, cultures from several parts of the swimming- pool were taken. These cultures showed an intense growth of thermophil ic actinomycetes, Neurospora and Aspergillus species. Precipitating an tibodies against Neurospora species and Mycropolyspora faeni were dete cted. A case of HP related to a covered and heated swimming-pool envir onment is reported. Thermophilic actinomycetes and Neurospora species may be the causing agents.