Contents
Occupational lung disease caused by exposure to cotton dust in inadequately ventilated working environments.
Aetiology
- Exposure to cotton dust during the spinning and manufacturing process
- Smoking (risk factor)
Clinical features
Monday fever:
Pusually report symptoms towards the beginning of their work week and thus the term Monday fever
- Frequent coughing, chest tightness, dyspnea, and at times, wheezing, particularly within a few hours of exposure (or reexposure) to the workplace.
Chronic byssinosis state:
Once exposure and lung irritation becomes persistent, patients will no longer have cyclical symptoms and progress to the chronic byssinosis state
Differential diagnosis:
- Occupational asthma (symptoms present towards the end of work week)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchitis.
Management
Supportive management:
- Stopping exposure and smoking
Symptomatic management:
- Short- and long-acting β-agonists
- Inhaled corticosteroid