Mesothelioma & Bronchial Asthma
Mesothelioma
is a malignant tumour of the lining of the lung (pleura) or abdomen (peritoneum). The abdominal form is less common. The disease is significantly related to exposure to asbestos, especially the blue and brown varieties. However in some 10-15% of cases there is not such history of exposure. Those at risk are miners, manufacturers of asbestos, builders and demolition workers and even residents in the neighbourhood of blue asbestos working. While the exposure time may have been only minimal there is no safe threshold of dose below which there is no risk of asbestos related disease. The onset of the disease is delayed, often by some 20 to 50 years. It affects men and women but the 'attack rate' of the tumour in the exposed population is only about 5%.
Symptoms
The lung variety of tumour is more common. Symptoms begin with a gradual onset of breathlessness, particularly noticeable on effort, and due to the growth of tumour and fluid compressing the lung. There may occur pain on one side of the chest, with tenderness, cough and fever. More obvious is a rapid loss of weight and weakness. A chest X-ray reveals an opacity on one side of the chest suggestive of a tumour. The symptoms of the abdominal form also develop slowly, beginning with swelling, loss of weight, impaired appetite and weakness. Death usually follows within two years of making the diagnosis.
Other dust causes of lung cancer
These include chromate, in the manufacture of chromate from the ore; nickel compounds in the refining of nickel, benzpyrenes in coke-oven work; uranium and radon; and arsenic compounds in mining.
Bronchial asthma
Bronchial asthma is defined as 'breathlessness, which is due to narrowing of the small airways', and it is reversible. There are many occupational causes of which fourteen have been prescribed as resulting in industrial diseases:
(1) Isocyanates - modern synthetic finishes
(2) Platinum salts
(3) Epoxy resin curing agents
(4) Colophony fumes
(5) Proteolytic enzymes
(6) Animals and insects in laboratories
(7) Flour and grain dust
(8) Antibiotic manufacture
(9) Cimetidine used in manufacturing cimetidine tablets
(10) Hard wood dusts of cedar, oak and mahogany
(11) Ispaghula used in the manufacture of laxatives
(12) Caster beacarbon dust
(13) Ipecacuanha used in the manufacture of tablets
(14) Azodicarbonanide used in plastics
Other asthma like diseases are found.
Byssinosis occurs in workers in the cotton processing industry who may develop tightness of the chest on Mondays which decreases as the week progresses. However, with continuing exposure to cotton dust they are affected for more days of the week. Steam treatment of the raw cotton can prevent chest symptoms from this material.
An allergic lung reaction also occurs after exposure to the spores on sugar cane (bagassosis). Spraying with propionic acid can kill the sugar cane spores.
Extrinsic allergic alveolitis (framer's lung)
A disorder due to inhalation or organic dust and characterised by chest tightness, fever and the presence of specific antibodies in the blood.
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