[Allergic alveolitis due to colophony]

Abstract

We report the observation of a 37 year-old female worker exposed for 5 years to heated colophony fumes. The patient used a soldering iron with colophony flux-cored solder. She presented with chronic cough and dyspnoea on exertion without any wheezing. Clinical evidence associated with chest X-ray, lung function tests, lymphocytic alveolitis in bronchoalveolar lavage led to hypothesize the diagnosis of an occupational alveolitis linked to colophony exposure. This was eventually confirmed by coupling repeated lung function tests and bronchoalveolar lavages with on-off periods of occupational exposure.