Two cases of severe pneumonia after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

In 2011, during the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, 90% of victims died from drowning. We report on two tsunami survivors with severe pneumonia potentially caused by Legionella pneumophila. Both victims aspirated a large quantity of contaminated water; sand, mud and a variety of microbes were thought to have entered into their lower respiratory tracts. One patient had a mycotic intracranial aneurysm; the other patient had co-infections with several organisms, including Scedosporium species. Although scedosporiosis is a relatively rare infectious disease, symptoms are progressive and prognosis is poor. These pathogens are not specific for tsunami lung, but are reported causative agents for pneumonia after near-drowning.

On Farmer's Lung / 日本農村医学会雑誌

Farmer's lung is a form of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, which is manifested mainly as an occupational disease among dairy farmers exposed to organic dusts from moldy hay and compost in silos and lofts. In Europe and America, it has been known for many years. In Japan, it frequently occurs in Hokkaido, Iwate and Hokuriku districts during winter months from November to March. The culprit antigens are spores of actinomycetes thermophilus such as Micropolyspora faeni and Thermoactinomyces vulgaris. In recent years, various preventive measures have been taken. For instance, in order to prevent hay from heating by fermentation and the thermophile from thriving, farmers desiccate hay as much as possible and keep it in air-tight plastic containers. The result is a notable decrease in the prevalence rate of this ailment. Nonetheless, with graying the rural population, pulmonary fibrosis caused by chronic exposure to low levels of organic dust is posing a grave health problem in the dairy farming communities. As a prophylactic measure against chronic fibrotic lung disease, there is a need to implement a comprehensive heath control program consisting of continual sanitary checkups at workplace and counseling at an early stage in addition to periodic health examinations. Another health threat which has more recently loomed up in the dairy farming communities is environmental pollution.