Bagpipes probable cause of Cork teen's four-year cough

Playing the bagpipes has been identified as a probable cause of a young teenager requiring treatment at a hospital in Cork for progressive coughing and wheezing over a four-year period. Stock image

Playing the bagpipes has been identified as a probable cause of a young teenager requiring treatment at a hospital in Cork for progressive coughing and wheezing over a four-year period.

A new medical paper claims there was a strong likelihood that protracted bacterial bronchitis suffered by the 15-year-old champion bagpipe player was related to the playing of her favourite musical instrument.

It noted prolonged playing of the bagpipes could create a phenomenon that had loosely been described as “bagpipe lung”.

The study by medics at the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at Cork University Hospital said the patient had presented at the hospital with a progressive and productive cough and wheeze for four years.

They said the girl’s condition had been unresponsive to a range of medicines, including steroids and antimicrobials as well as physiotherapy.

The study, which is published in the latest edition of the Irish Medical Journal, said the girl’s condition was probably triggered or exacerbated by the playing of the bagpipes.

It said the case highlighted the importance of wind instruments being correctly cleaned and stored as they were associated with lung disease due to fungal contamination.

“The moist internal area of bagpipes creates an idyllic environment for bacteria and fungi to thrive in, though with simple cleaning this can be reduced,” it added.

Doctors at CUH said the patient had no family history of lung diseases.

However, they established the girl was a champion bagpiper who practised regularly on a chanter as well as competing at events around the country.

“There was no cleaning routine for the instrument, which was often heavily wet after being played,” they noted.