Cladosporium species-related hypersensitivity pneumonitis in household environments

Abstract

Home-related chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is sometimes difficult to discriminate because patients do not have an obvious history of antigen exposure. We report two HP cases which developed in an office area and in a home: a 47-year-old woman with acute-onset HP and a 72-year-old woman with chronic HP followed up as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis following isolation of Cladosporium cladosporioides and Cladosporium herbarum, respectively. Lymphocyte stimulating activity and antibody titer to these fungi were increased in these patients. Since Cladosporium spp. and several other fungi are present ubiquitously in our living environment, it is difficult to eliminate the antigen from the patients' environment to control the disease. Cladosporium spp. can be key antigens in inducing chronic HP in the home environment. © 2009 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.