Coffee worker's lung. A new example of extrinsic allergic alveolitis

Abstract

A man who worked for more than 20 years in a coffee-roasting factory developed lung lesions. By immunological investigations it was proven that there were circulating antibodies against coffee-bean dust in the patient's serum. Immunofluorescence of the lung biopsy demonstrated deposits of IgG and complement along the alveolar capillaries. The histological features are described.