Why is the malady Cheese Washer's Lung so called?

lanfranco

"Cheese Washer's Lung" is one of several forms of occupational Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an inflammation caused by regular inhalation of organic dusts In this case, the dust comes from cheese casings. This site lists several other varieties and names: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypersensitivity_pneumonitis Sep 04 08, 8:08 PM

edmund80

Kaesewascherkrankheit, ( this german term appears on the side box of the link below ). ( excerpt below ) Inhalation of organic particles (bacteria, fungi or animal proteins) by sensitized subjects is known to induce extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA). The most frequent type of EAA and the best known in rural environment is farmer's lung disease. Nevertheless a rarer form is also to be considered in rural environment: cheesewasher's disease. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1924974 Sep 04 08, 8:11 PM