Hydrocarbon aerosol pneumonitis in an adult.

A 20-year-old woman was exposed to a kerosene mist for five days at an insecticide manufacturing facility. She had shortness of breath, fever, severe hypoxemia, bilateral pulmonary infiltrates, and a notable reduction of diffusion capacity/total lung capacity ratio. Her symptoms and roentgenographic findings resolved rapidly after cessation of exposure and corticosteroid therapy. Whether her roentgenographic findings resulted from a pulmonary injury similar to that seen with aspirate hydrocarbons is unclear. Industrial exposure to hydrocarbon aerosols is a potential health hazard that may result in short-term and long-term pulmonary disability.