Bagassosis 🔥

While once common in the southern United States (especially Louisiana) and Puerto Rico, modern industrial organization has made it rare. Today, cases are more frequently reported in countries with large, unorganized sugarcane sectors, such as India. Clinical Features

Rapid onset of breathlessness (dyspnea), cough, fever, chills, weakness, and weight loss. Chest pain and hemoptysis (coughing up blood) may also occur. bagassosis

Symptoms typically appear hours or weeks after exposure and often improve when away from the workplace (e.g., weekends). Bagassosis - StatPearls - NCBI - NIH While once common in the southern United States

It primarily affects workers in industries that use bagasse for manufacturing paper, cardboard, hardboard, insulation, or as fuel in brick-kilns. Chest pain and hemoptysis (coughing up blood) may also occur

The disease is an allergic reaction to thermophilic actinomycetes (typically Thermoactinomyces vulgaris ) that grow in moldy, stored bagasse.