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Musicians Warned After Mouldy Bagpipes Death

Musicians who play wind instruments are being warned to clean their equipment thoroughly, following the death of a bagpipe player.

The man is believed to have died from a reaction to mouldy pipes which led to "bagpipe lung".

The 61-year-old, who practised every day, had been ill for a number of years.

His condition improved when he went abroad for a few months without his instrument. It was then doctors realised the bagpipes might be to blame.

He is thought to have developed a bad reaction to mould and fungi found inside the moist interior of his bagpipes after they were checked in a laboratory.

Inhaling pathogens - microorganisms that can cause disease - had caused inflammation and led to irreversible scarring, doctors believe.

Writing in the journal Thorax , experts warned that such instruments should be cleaned regularly to reduce the chance of a similar tragedy.

Musicians are also being urged to bear in mind that a cough or any breathlessness could be linked to their practice.

Dr Jenny King, one of the team from Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester which treated the piper, said if caught early there was a good chance of recovery.

She said: "If you can diagnose these problems early and remove the trigger then they can be treated and the prognosis is really good."