TY - JOUR T1 - Allergic alveolitis in a school environment JO - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health PY - 1996/8VL - 22 IS - 4 SP - 311 EP - 314 AU - Thörn, Å AU - Lewné, Marie AU - Belin, Lars M3 - doi: 10.5271/sjweh.146 UR - https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=146 KW - building-associated illness KW - case report KW - fungus KW - precipitating antibody KW - school health KW - sick-building syndrome N2 -

Background A considerable fraction of newly constructed buildings have indoor air problems associated with health effects, usually of the nonspecific sick building syndrome variety. Specific health effects such as asthma, rhinitis, and allergic alveolitis can also occur.

Case On 1 September 1988 a school teacher showed symptoms of an acute respiratory illness, which was first interpreted as pulmonary embolism and then later as atypical sarcoidosis. The illness slowly progressed over six years, at which time the diagnosis was revised to chronic allergic alveolitis, related to her school environment. The school had had indoor-air quality problems off and on for several years.'

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CONCLUSIONS ': 'The case illustrates the difficulties of diagnosing cases of chronic allergic alveolitis, especially when it appears in environments where it is not generally encountered. It also raises questions regarding a possible relation between environments associated with the sick building syndrome and the occurrence of building-associated illnesses.

SN - 0355-3140 ER -