Environmental fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis: A case report in a coal mine worker

Abstract

The aim of our study is to highlight the inadequacy of focusing solely on occupational exposure in the diagnosis of lung diseases in coal miners. Other factors, especially environmental exposures, should also be considered. A 74-year-old patient with a 20-year history of coal mining and a complaint of coughing was referred with a preliminary diagnosis of coal worker's pneumoconiosis due to abnormal findings on HRCT. Upon detailed questioning, it was learned that the patient had been keeping pet birds for 15 years. Physical examination, laboratory results, and pulmonary function tests were normal. A biopsy was performed due to the detection of an interstitial pattern in the lung imaging, and the diagnosis of fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonia was made. Although coal worker's pneumoconiosis was initially considered due to the patient's history of long-term coal mining, careful evaluation of all exposures may enable early diagnosis and treatment of accompanying or underlying diseases.

Keywords: Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis; enviromental exposure; hypersensitivity pneumonitis; occupational disease.