Precipitating antibodies in a midwest dairy farming population toward the antigens associated with farmer's lung disease. 1976

R C Roberts, and F J Wenzel, and D A Emanuel

A survey of the frequency of precipitins to the antigens of the thermophilic actinomycetes and Aspergillus species was conducted on serum samples from 1,045 farmers obtained at a 3-day exposition on modern farm equipment and farming practices in central Wisconsin. Each farmer filled out a questionnaire including socioeconomic information, lung disease history, exposure history, and smoking history. Precipitins were detected by the double-diffusion method. The antigen panel included eight thermophilic actinomycetes species and a mixture of Aspergillus species. Precipitins were found in the sera of 93 famers (8.9%). The distribution of positive precipitins was: Micropolyspora faeni 63 (67.7%), Thermoactinomyces vulgaris 7 (7.5%), Thermomonospora viridis 2 (2.2%), M. faeni + T. viridis 16 (17.2%), M. faeni + T. vulgaris 1 (1.1%), Aspergillus species 4 (4.3%). Of all the parameters tested for in the questionnaire, those with positive serology differed significantly from the whole population only in that a higher proportion of the positives reported exposure to silo gas and illness after uncapping silos. Comparison of the size of the farm and the number of dairy cows in the state of Wisconsin with the population samples indicated that the sample population was skewed toward those with larger farms and larger dairy herds. This study confirms that a significant proportion of the farm population in Wisconsin does have precipitins to the microorganisms associated with farmer's lung disease. Follow-up studies to establish the relationship between the positive precipitin reactions to the presence of clinical disease are now under way.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008848 Micromonosporaceae A family of gram-positive, saprophytic bacteria occurring in soil and aquatic environments.
D011234 Precipitins Antibodies which elicit IMMUNOPRECIPITATION when combined with antigen. Immune Precipitates,Precipitates, Immune
D003612 Dairying Production, storage, and distribution of DAIRY PRODUCTS. Dairy Industry,Dairy Industries,Industries, Dairy,Industry, Dairy
D005203 Farmer's Lung A form of alveolitis or pneumonitis due to an acquired hypersensitivity to inhaled antigens associated with farm environment. Antigens in the farm dust are commonly from bacteria actinomycetes (SACCHAROPOLYSPORA and THERMOACTINOMYCES), fungi, and animal proteins in the soil, straw, crops, pelts, serum, and excreta. Mushroom Worker's Lung,Farmer Lung,Farmer's Lungs,Farmers Lung,Mushroom Worker Lung,Mushroom Worker's Lungs,Mushroom Workers Lung
D005260 Female Females
D005500 Follow-Up Studies Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000942 Antigens, Bacterial Substances elaborated by bacteria that have antigenic activity. Bacterial Antigen,Bacterial Antigens,Antigen, Bacterial
D000946 Antigens, Fungal Substances of fungal origin that have antigenic activity. Fungal Antigen,Fungal Antigens,Antigen, Fungal

Related Publications

R C Roberts, and F J Wenzel, and D A Emanuel
October 1981, The American review of respiratory disease,
R C Roberts, and F J Wenzel, and D A Emanuel
September 1983, Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai zasshi,
R C Roberts, and F J Wenzel, and D A Emanuel
January 1986, Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases,
R C Roberts, and F J Wenzel, and D A Emanuel
December 1988, Nihon Naika Gakkai zasshi. The Journal of the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine,
R C Roberts, and F J Wenzel, and D A Emanuel
September 1978, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology,
R C Roberts, and F J Wenzel, and D A Emanuel
July 1972, Clinical and experimental immunology,
R C Roberts, and F J Wenzel, and D A Emanuel
May 1990, Annals of allergy,
R C Roberts, and F J Wenzel, and D A Emanuel
January 1987, Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases,
R C Roberts, and F J Wenzel, and D A Emanuel
January 1993, International archives of allergy and immunology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!