byssinosis

byssinosis, respiratory disorder caused by inhalation of an endotoxin produced by bacteria in the fibres of cotton. Byssinosis is common among textile workers, who often inhale significant amounts of cotton dust. Cotton dust may stimulate inflammation that damages the normal structure of the lung and causes the release of histamine, which constricts the air passages. As a result, breathing becomes difficult. Over time the dust accumulates in the lung, producing a typical discoloration that gives the disease its common name.

Byssinosis was first recognized in the 17th century and was widely known in Europe and England by the early 19th century; today it is seen in most cotton-producing regions of the world. Several years of exposure to cotton dust are needed before byssinosis develops, and workers with lower grade disease usually recover completely upon leaving the industry or moving into an area with less dust. Persons with mild byssinosis have a “Monday feeling” of chest tightness and shortness of breath on the first day of work after a weekend or holiday. As exposure continues, this feeling persists throughout the week, and in advanced stages, byssinosis causes chronic, irreversible obstructive lung disease. Although cotton is by far the most common cause—accounting for such names as cotton-dust asthma and cotton-mill fever—flax, hemp, and other organic fibres can also produce byssinosis.