Bagassosis

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Bagassosis, an interstitial lung disease, is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis attributed to exposure to moldy molasses{{cite journal | last=Hur | first=T |author2=Cheng KC|author3=Yang GY | title=Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: bagassosis |journal=Gaoxiong Yi Xue Ke Xue Za Zhi | volume=10 | issue=10 | pages=558–564 | date=October 1994 | pmid=7807612 }} or bagasse dust.{{cite journal |vauthors=Ueda A, Aoyama K, Ueda T |title=Recent trends in bagassosis in Japan |journal=Br J Ind Med |volume=49 |issue=7 |pages=499–506 |date=July 1992 |pmid=1637710 |doi= 10.1136/oem.49.7.499|pmc=1039272|display-authors=etal}}{{cite journal |last1=Madu |first1=Alpha |last2=Sharman |first2=Tariq |title=Bagassosis |journal=StatPearls |date=2021 |pmid=32119331 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32119331/ |access-date=15 July 2021 |publisher=StatPearls Publishing}}

Signs and symptoms

Some symptoms and signs of bagassosis include breathlessness, cough, haemoptysis, and slight fever. Acute diffuse bronchiolitis may also occur. An X-ray may show mottling of lungs or a shadow.

Cause

Bagassosis has been shown to be due to a thermophilic actinomycete for which the name Thermoactinomycetes sacchari was suggested.

Prevention

The following are precautionary measures that can be taken to avoid the spread of bagassosis:

  1. Dust control – prevention/suppression of dust such as wet process, enclosed apparatus, exhaust ventilation etc. should be used
  2. Personal protection – masks/respirators
  3. Medical control – initial medical examination and periodical checkups of workers
  4. Bagasse control – keep moisture content above 20% and spray bagasse with 2% propionic acidPark's textbook of preventive & social medicine 21st edition page-747

History

Bagassosis was first reported in India by Ganguly and Pal in 1955, in a cardboard manufacturing plant near Kolkata. India has a large cane sugar industry. The sugarcane fibre which, until recently, went to waste, is now utilised in the manufacture of cardboard, paper and rayon.

References

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