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Consort hypersensitivity pneumonitis

¹ Research Institute of Occupational Medicine, German Social Accident Insurance (BGFA), Ruhr University, ² Augusta Hospital, Thorax Centre of the Ruhr Area, Bochum, and ³ Laboratory for Allergic Diseases of the Malteser Hospital, Bonn, Germany.

CORRESPONDENCE: R. Merget, BGFA , Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, D-44789 Bochum, Germany. Fax: 49 2343024542. E-mail: merget{at}bgfa.de

Keywords: Birds, diagnosis, dose–response, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, partner

Received: August 19, 2008
Accepted December 12, 2008

To date, there is little information in the literature that hypersensitivity pneumonitis due to birds may occur without direct contact to birds.

A 62-yr-old pensioner developed mild flu-like symptoms, fatigue and polyuria several hours after each meeting with his new female partner, either in hotels or his apartment. After divorcing from her ex-husband, who was a canary fancier, the female had moved into a bungalow 6 months earlier. When the couple met for the first time at the bungalow, the patient's symptoms worsened and he developed shortness of breath. The patient had never entered the bird house or the married couple's house.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis was demonstrated by chest radiography, computed tomography, a restrictive ventilatory defect, decreased diffusion capacity and hypoxaemia after physical exercise. Sensitisation to canaries was shown by immunoassays. Canary antigens were detected by a polyclonal immunoassay at different locations of the married couple's house and the female's bungalow, where no birds had ever been kept.

In conclusion, hypersensitivity pneumonitis should be recognised as a further consort disease, i.e. a disease that can be transmitted by partners.