From CBC PEI:

Musicians take heed: Wind instruments need to be cleaned regularly to prevent the growth of fungi that can cause "bagpipe lung," say doctors who reported a rare, fatal case.

In Monday's issue of the journal Thorax, doctors describe the case of a 61-year-old man in the U.K. who had a dry cough and worsening breathlessness, despite treatment, for seven years.

He had a previous diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), a chronic inflammatory lung disease triggered by the immune system's response to an inhaled protein from the environment. 

He never smoked and his house didn't have mould or signs of water damage.

His symptoms improved dramatically during a three-month trip to Australia in 2011. He was able to walk 10 kilometres on the beach without stopping.

But when he returned to the U.K., his breathing deteriorated rapidly.

What was different? The man played the bagpipes daily as a hobby, but he didn't take the instrument to Australia.

For more see 'Bagpipe lung' death a warning to wind instrument players