By Police1 Staff
MANCHESTER, England — In a case study published Monday, researchers found that mold and fungi found in bagpipes can lead to a fatal illness similar to pneumonia.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is a condition caused by the immune system’s response to an inhaled allergen and can progress to fatal lung disease, reported CNN. Although it is most commonly associated with mold or bird exposure, the illness killed a man via fungus exposure in bagpipes.
According to the study, the man, 61, had a chronic dry cough and progressive shortness of breath for seven years. He was diagnosed with the illness in 2009, although doctors were unaware of the cause. His health deteriorated over the years, to the point where he was eventually hospitalized in 2014.
While in the hospital, doctors took samples from his bagpipes, which contained several kinds of fungi — the kind that has been linked to hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
The moist interior of bagpipes create an environment in which yeast and mold can grow, but the risk for infection can be minimized by proper cleaning immediately after use.
Following the man’s death, extensive lung damage with acute respiratory distress syndrome and tissue scarring were discovered.
Lead author of the case study Dr. Jenny King said that symptoms are “treatable and reversible if caught earlier,” and urged doctors to be thorough when questioning patients about their hobbies and histories.