Byssinosis,Asbestosis & Silicosis

Marquez & Digao

BYSSINOSIS
DEFINITION

• It is an occupational lung disease caused by exposure and inhalation of hemp, flax

and cotton dust due to lack of ventilation and closed space.
• Also known as
➢“Brown Lung Disease”
➢“Mill Fever”
➢“Monday Fever”
• It’s not considered a life-threatening or chronic disease.
• This disease typically heal after the exposure is over, but it can return if exposed
to hemp, flax and cotton dust industries.
HISTORY

• 81 byssinosis related fatalities reported in the United States between 1990 and
1999, 48% included an occupation in the yarn, thread, and fabric industry on the
victim’s death certificate.
• This disease often occurred in the times of the industrial revolution. Most
commonly young girls working in mills or other textile factories would be afflicted
with this disease.
• n the United States, from 1996 to 2005, North Carolina accounted for about 37%
of all deaths caused byssinosis, with 31, followed by South Carolina and Georgia.
INDUSTRY
AFFILIATED

• Industry where cotton is used in

abundance.
• Yarn and Fabric Manufacturers
CAUSES

It is NOT YET FINALIZED. But

some researchers that it could be
caused by:
• The inhalation of cotton itself.
• The inhalation of toxins
generated from gram negative
bacteria that are present in
cotton.
RISKS

• Workers who works at a yarn and

fabric manufacture industries.
• Risks of developing byssinosis may
increase if:
➢Worker is smoking
➢Worker has a history of asthma or
allergies
SYMPTOMS

• Chest tightness
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• If severe may experience Flu-like symptoms such as:
➢a fever
➢muscle and joint pain
➢shivering
➢tiredness
➢a dry cough
DIAGNOSIS

• Your doctor will ask your Recent activities and the nature of your work to
determine if you’ve been in contact with textile dust.
• Your doctor might conduct a Physical exam to check your lung health.
➢chest X-ray
➢CT scan
➢Pulmonary function tests
• Your doctor may give you a peak flow meter.
➢To observe your lungs throughout the workweek.
➢To know how quickly you can expel air from your lungs.
➢To know if breathing changes during certain parts of the day or week that could help the
doctor to determine when and where you’re being exposed.
TREATMENT

• Avoid exposure to harmful dust.

• Your doctor may prescribe the following drugs:
➢Bronchodilators which is used to relieve mild to moderate symptoms.
▪ These drugs help open constricted airways.
➢inhaled corticosteroids for more severe cases of byssinosis.
▪ reduce lung inflammation.
▪ but it can cause fungal infections in your mouth and throat however it can be reduced by
rinsing your mouth after inhaling the medication.
➢a nebulizer or other respiratory treatment if byssinosis is chronic,.
TREATMENT

• If your blood oxygen levels are low, you may need supplemental oxygen
therapy.
• Breathing exercises and physical activity can also help improve lung
health and symptoms.
• Quit and Find a New Job.
PREVENTION

• Make sure you have a well ventilated working space.

• Wear a mask while working especially if working near dust.
• Do some breathing and physical exercises.
• Quit smoking.
ASBESTOSIS
 DEFINITION

• Also known as a
➢pulmonary fibrosis
➢interstitial pneumonitis
• It is a lung disease that is developed by the inhalation of the asbestos fibers
➢scarring in your lungs
▪ breathing restriction since it prevents your lung tissue from expanding and contracting normally.
▪ Interferes to the ability of oxygen to enter your bloodstream.
HISTORY

• What is Asbestos?
o It is a natural mineral product with resistant to heat and corrosion
o extensively in the past in products such as insulation, cement and some floor
tiles.
• Most people with asbestosis acquired it on the job before the federal government
began regulating the use of asbestos and asbestos products in the 1970s.
• Today, its handling is strictly regulated.
• Acquiring asbestosis is extremely unlikely if you follow your employer's safety
procedures.
• Treatment focuses on relieving your symptoms but there is NO CURE for it.
INDUSTRY
AFFILIATED

• People with extensive occupational

exposure to the mining.
• manufacturing, handling, or removal of
asbestos
CAUSES

• Inhalation and Retention of

Asbestos
RISKS

• Workers in an industry associated with asbestos.

➢Asbestos was commonly found in construction and fireproofing
jobs.
➢Asbestos is still used in certain industries, but it’s closely
monitored by the government through the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA).
RISKS

Asbestos exposure can cause:

➢Mesothelioma
oa rare form of cancer caused by the inhalation of asbestos.
odevelops from cells of the mesothelium
❖the protective lining that covers many of the internal organs of the
body.
➢Lung cancer.
SYMPTOMS

• In most cases, symptoms don’t start to appear immediately.

➢ approximately 20 years (in the range of 10 to 40 years) after exposure to asbestos.
• Common symptoms of asbestosis include:
➢ shortness of breath (dyspnea)
➢ tightness in chest
➢ persistent dry cough
➢ chest pain
➢ appetite loss
➢ finger clubbing (enlarged fingertips)
➢ nail deformities
 Diagnosis
• Physical Exam – doctor listens to your lungs
• Imaging Tests – CT Scan and Chest X-ray
• Bronchoscopy - The doctor will run a long, thin tube
with a tiny camera on the end into your lungs to check
for damage.
• Biopsy - Performed by a cardiothoracic surgeon under
general anaesthesia, this is another way to get a sample
of lung tissue for further testing.
• Pulmonary Function Test - These tests measure your
lungs’ ability to breathe properly and to get oxygen into
the blood. These measurements are made by two
separate tests: spirometry and diffusion capacity.
Treatment
• There's no treatment to reverse the effects of asbestos on the alveoli.
Treatment focuses on slowing the progression of the disease, relieving
symptoms and preventing complications.

Prescription Inhalers may For Severe difficulty breathing, Lung Transplant

loosen congestion in your Supplemental Oxygen from a
lungs. mask or tubes that fit inside your
nose.
Prevention
Prevention
Prevention
Prevention
Prevention
Silicosis
What is Silicosis?
A type of pulmonary fibrosis, an interstitial lung disease
caused by breathing in tiny bits of silica, a common mineral
found in sand, quartz, and many other types of rocks.

Pneumoconiosis - general term for a class of interstitial lung

diseases where inhalation of dust has caused interstitial fibrosis.

Other names: Miner’s phthisis, Grinder’s asthma, Potter’s rot,

Stonecutter’s cough
Brief History
1870s & early 1900s 2011-2013
Achille Visconti used the term silicosis Guidelines brought to gov’t.
Ancient Greece & Egypt Dr. Alice Hamilton OSHA send silica dust
First evidence shown: Finds evidence of silicosis in granite exposure guidelines to
exhibiting signs of silicosis workers in Vermont. government.

50µg/m³

1700 1927 2016-present

Dr. Bernardino Ramazzini Hawk’s Nest Tunnel Disaster OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit
“Father of occupational medicine” America’s worst industrial disaster from 250 micrograms per cubic
Performed autopsies on stone Large-scale incident of silicosis. meter to 50 micrograms per cubic
workers and noticed sand in their Caused the death of 2000 men. meter
lungs
31
Causes
• Silica dust particles act as tiny blades on the lungs. These particles
create small cuts that can scar the lung tissue when inhaled through the
nose or mouth. Scarred lungs do not open and close as well, making
breathing more difficult.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yEtisMfyMY
Three Types
• Acute - occurs after a few months or as long as 2 years
after exposures to extremely high concentrations
• Accelerated - can be detected after 5–10 years of high
exposures to silica.
• Chronic - the most common type of silicosis and occurs
after 15–20 years of moderate to low exposures of
silica.
 Industries at high risk

asphalt manufacturing concrete production crushing or drilling rock demolition work glass manufacturing
and concrete

masonry works mining quarrying sandblasting tunneling

Symptoms

Bluish skin at the

Shortness of breath Fever
earlobes or lips
(dyspnea)
(Cyanosis)

As the disease progresses

Fatigue Extreme shortness of Loss of appetite Chest pain Respiratory failure

breath
 Diagnosis
• Physical Exam – doctor listens to your lungs
• Imaging Tests – CT Scan and Chest X-ray (to check for
scars)
Silicosis Silicosis (CT Scan)
• Bronchoscopy - The doctor will run a long, thin tube
with a tiny camera on the end into your lungs to check
for damage.
• Biopsy - Performed by a cardiothoracic surgeon under
general anaesthesia, this is another way to get a sample
of lung tissue for further testing.
• Sputum Test - Collecting coughed up mucus for Bronchoscopy Biopsy
evaluation
• Pulmonary Function Test - These tests measure your
lungs’ ability to breathe properly and to get oxygen
into the blood. These measurements are made by two
separate tests: spirometry and diffusion capacity.
Sputum Test Pulmonary Function Test
Risks
• If you have chronic silicosis, you’re at higher risk for TB, flu, and
pneumonia. Get regular TB tests at your doctor’s office, plus an
annual flu shot and pneumonia vaccine.
• Silica is a known human carcinogen.
• Silicosis also raises your odds of getting these:
• Lung Cancer
• Chronic Obsessive Pulmonary Disease
• Chronic Bronchitis
• Scleroderma
• COVID-19
Treatment
NO CURE
Help manage your symptoms:

Inhaled Steroids Bronchodilators Oxygen therapy Lung transplant

(reduce mucus) (helps relax breathing (increase amount of (for severe conditions)
passages) oxygen in blood)
Prevention
Prevention
Prevention
Prevention
DOLE-OSH Threshold Limit Value (TLV)

Source: OSH-Standards 2019 Edition

• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asbestosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354637

• https://www.asbestos.com/asbestosis/

• https://www.worksafebc.com/

• https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/silicosis

• https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/302027-overview

• https://www.nosilicadust.com/history-of-silicosis/

• https://www.maqohsc.sa.gov.au/respirable-crystalline-silica/

• http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/images/OSH-Standards-2019-Edition.pdf