Extremes of Clinical Presentation in Parakeet-Fancier's Lung

Abstract

Lung disease due to parakeet dander J was first reported by Pearsall et al in 1960.¹They demonstrated precipitating antibody and both immediate and delayed skin reactions. Hargreave et al, in 1966,²reported allergic alveolitis caused by the budgerigar (love bird) which is a small parrot in the same general group as parakeets. The budgerigar fancier is usually closely exposed to only one or two birds, tends to develop disease insidiously, and may present with irreversible lung damage and roentgenographic evidence of pulmonary fibrosis. Other workers noted similarities to farmer's lung and described the same entity in pigeon breeders.^3-5In pigeon breeder's disease intermittent exposure to large amounts of dust from pigeon droppings is followed several hours later by an acute, febrile respiratory illness.⁶ The present report illustrates both the acute and chronic varieties of parakeet-related hypersensitivity lung disease. Since the parakeet is such a common