Wood workers can be exposed to large amounts of particles which
contain many irritating chemicals such as plicatic acid and bacterial
endotoxin. A case study was presented of a non-immunocompromised
wood worker in Florida who developed severe coughing, lung hemorrhage
and lung abscess following infection with the wood fungus Ochroconis
gallopavum. He recovered only after part of the upper right
lung was
removed and he was given a 6 month course of the anti-fungal drug
itraconazole.
- John Odell et al. Multiple lung abscesses due to Ochroconis
gallopavum, a dematiaceous fungi, in a nonimunocompromised wood
pulp worker. Chest
November 2000;118:1503-1505.
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