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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1969 March; 17(3): 454-456
Copyright © 1969 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Immunofluorescence Identification of Thermopolyspora polyspora, the Causative Agent of Farmer's Lung

Marshfield Clinic Foundation for Medical Research and Education, Marshfield, Wisconsin 54449
Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, Wisconsin 54449

ABSTRACT

Farmer's lung is a serious disabling pulmonary disease found in agricultural workers. The disease is believed to be a hypersensitivity to the thermophilic actinomycetes, principally Thermopolyspora polyspora. This organism is difficult to stain with the usual bacteriological stains and thus far has not been demonstrated in the lung tissue by microscopic methods. In this paper, it is demonstrated that the fluorescent-antibody technique is a simple method for the positive identification of T. polyspora. The technique can also be used as a rapid screening test for the detection of antibodies to T. polyspora in the patient's serum. In addition, it opens up the possibility of the identification of T. polyspora in the lung tissue of patients with farmer's lung and makes available a means for the study of the immunological reaction in the lung parenchyma. No false positive or cross-reactions with Thermoactinomyces vulgaris or Streptomyces griseus could be demonstrated.