A 48-year-old parquet floor layer suffered from an attack of asthma at work and systemic toxic reaction after exposure to cabreuva wood dust (Myrocarpus fastigiatus Fr. All.). Exposure to the same dust in hospital produced a late asthmatic reaction with fever, vomiting and myalgia. Leucocytosis with neutrophilia was present after a bronchial provocation test but no radiological changes were observed. A control bronchial provocation test with fir wood dust was negative. It was not possible to study the systemic toxic reaction further due to non-collaboration of the patient; nevertheless, these findings show that systemic reactions to wood dust should always be investigated even though their occurrence is fortunately rare.