Diffuse lung disease caused by cotton dust exposure

In India, 20million workers are involved in the manufacturing of textiles.1 Byssinosis is caused by the inhalation of cotton, jute, flax and hemp fibers. It is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Byssinosis is characterized by acute breathlessness, cough, and wheeze, typically on Monday mornings following a weekend away from the workplace; symptoms decrease during the work week despite continued exposure. The prevalence and severity of symptoms and functional impairment are proportional to the duration and intensity of exposure.2 Although the pathogenesis of Byssinosis is unclear, the disorder shares some features with hypersensitivity pneumonitis: Both frequently occur after exposure to dust, and affected patients improve rapidly without therapy.2,3 There have been only a few reports of pulmonary fibrosis and pneumoconiosis due to cotton dust.4