J67.0: Farmer lung

Farmer's lung, also coded as J67.0, is a chronic allergic disease triggered by breathing in the dust from moldy hay or other crops. When a person allergic to this dust inhales it, their body's immune system reacts and leads to inflammation in the lung's air sacs. Symptoms usually appear about four to eight hours after exposure and can include coughing, shortness of breath, and fever. The severity of symptoms can vary from mild to severe and may even become chronic if exposure is not avoided. If exposure continues, damage to the lungs' structure can occur over time, which further complicates the disease. This condition typically affects people who work in agriculture or are in contact with moldy crops. It is not contagious and does not spread from person to person.