Abstract
Background: Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) belongs to the Composite family and is a vegetable widely consumed globally. Although lettuce is extensively cultivated and consumed, lettuce-associated occupational allergy is rarely reported. Herein, we are reporting a case of eosinophilic pneumonia induced by lettuce for the first time.Case presentation: A 56-year-old female lettuce farmer was admitted to the hospital with a low-grade fever, worsening cough, and dyspnoea. A blood test revealed eosinophilia and a high serum IgE concentration. A chest X-ray taken on admission showed an infiltrative shadow in the upper lung field. Chest CT revealed patchy ground glass opacity on the upper lung field and thickening of the bronchial wall. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid contained 8% eosinophils. The IgG-binding proteins that reacted with the patient’s sera were identified by immunoblot analysis. She was diagnosed as lettuce induced eosinophilic pneumonia and was treated with prednisolone, and her symptoms and radiological findings improved. Wearing a mask and reducing the amount of the crop improved her symptoms the following year.Conclusions: This is the first case report about lettuce-induced eosinophilic pneumonia which occurred in a lettuce farmer. The avoidance from antigen is quite useful in this patient.
Acute eosinophilic pneumonia caused by camostat mesilate: The first case report
