SUMMER-TYPE HYPERSENSITIVITY PNEUMONITIS

Summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis (SHP), the most prevalent typ e of HP in Japan, is caused by seasonal mold contamination in the home environment. The causative agent of the disease is Trichosporon cutan eum. The fungus grows in warm, moldy, decaying organic matter, and sca tters in the air from the colonizing places. The inhaled fungi sensiti ze susceptible patients intratracheally and induce the disease. Glucur onoxylomannan of the fungus has a potent antigenicity that causes gran ulomatous alveolitis. Assay of anti-T. cutaneum antibody is very usefu l to establish the diagnosis of the disease because the antibody activ ity is virtually positive in all cases of the disease. Elimination of T. cutaneum from the colonizing places prevents recrudescence. SHP, a new form of HP. had been considered to be peculiar to Japan, but the f irst case of SHP outside Japan was identified in Korea last year. Soon it will be recognized in many countries of temperate and tropical cli me.