1992/09/01 by A. L. Korényi-Both, Adél Molnár, Rosen Fidelus-Gort · 2 citations
Medicine · #Medical Imaging and Pathology Studies #Desert (philosophy) #Storm #Dust storm #Disease #Hypersensitivity pneumonitis #Pneumonitis #Lung #Medicine #Environmental science #Geology #Pathology #Oceanography #Internal medicine
paper · doi:10.1093/milmed/157.9.452
openalex publication_date 1992/09/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
The authors observed an acute desert-related disease when the mixture of the fine Saudi sand dust and pigeon droppings triggered a hyperergic lung condition. It was further aggravated by various kinds of organic pathogenic components contributing to an opportunistic infection of the lung. These all lead to the recognition of a new clinicopathological entity, Desert Storm pneumonitis or Al Eskan disease. For the first time, the Saudi sand dust's elemental composition was studied by ultrastructural and microanalytical means. The authors concluded that, contrary to previous beliefs, sand particles less than 1 microns (0.1 microns to 0.25 microns) in diameter are present in substantial quantities in the Saudi sand and are pathogenic, causing hyperergia. Pathogenesis of the sand dust, induced hyperergia, and its immunopathologic background are highlighted.