bagpipe and other nothingness instruments farm beautiful music , but they can also be choice breeding earth for moulding and fungi . player then regularly pass off in those creatures , and can acquire ignite lungs as a result — or even a calamitous lung disease .
That ’s the end of an strange case studyjust publishedin the journal Thorax by researchers at the University Hospital South Manchester in England . They’vedubbed it “ bagpipe lung,”because that was this particular patient ’s instrument of choice , but the same peril applies to any wind instrument , the authors caution .
We ’ve all experience that nettlesome nagging coughing that lingers on after we catch a coldness or the flu . Now imagine coughing for seven years . That ’s what come about to the 61 - class - onetime valet de chambre in the instance study . He was diagnosed withhypersensitivity pneumonitis(HP)—essentially chronic fervor of the lungs usually fetch on by inhaling junk , fungus , modeling , or chemicals — which can lead to severe lung disease .
It can be difficult to nail whatever triggered the onset of HP . This particular patient had none of the usual risk of infection factor : there was no mold in his home , he had n’t been exposed to pigeon or other Bronx cheer , he did n’t fume , and he did n’t bring with chemical .
But he did play his beloved bagpipe every day , despite having fuss breathing because of his inflamed lung . Coincidentally , the only time his symptoms improved during those seven geezerhood was when he expend three month in Australia and left his bagpipes behind .
When samples were pack from the cup of tea , neck opening , and reed protector of the instrument and placed in a petri dish , several different varieties of fungi bloomed .
It seems that yeast , mold , and other microbes really expand in the moist environment provide by the bagpipe . The man had been breathing in these fungi every day when he played , triggering his HP .
Alas , the military personnel did not respond to treatment and died from all the damage to his lungs . grant , it ’s a single isolated pillowcase , but there have also been report ( non - fatal ) case of HP in citizenry who played the saxophone and the trumpet . There are no established guidelines on the good way to make clean wind instruments , but lead author Jenny King and her colleagues notify regularly swabbing them with disinfectant after use , the better to keep the growth of germ in check .
The case also illustrates just how vital it is to take a elaborate , exhaustive case story , let in patient spare-time activity . If doctors and musicians become more aware of this particular health risk , perchance the next bagpipe player with a continuing coughing wo n’t have to expect seven years to pinpoint the trigger .
UPDATE : 8/23/16 12:45 PM : The fine folk at the Piping Live ! Glasgow International Piping Festival have recorded a helpful video at the National Piping Centre to show musicians how to by rights clean their bagpipes .
[ Thorax ]
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