Case report: metal fumes fever.

A young male foundry worker had headache, nonproductive cough, orthopnea, formication, rigor, fever, and substernal pain after exposure to concentrated metal fumes. Examination revealed bilateral basal rales. Serial spirometry suggested a transitory restrictive impairment with persistent mild to moderate obstructive impairment. Leukocytosis, hypoxemia, and the other symptoms resolved with no therapy other than the patient's removal from the polluted area.