Authors
Kreiss-K; Day-GA; Schuler-CR
Source
Annu Rev Public Health 2007 Apr; 28:259-277
Abstract
Beryllium exposure can cause a granulomatous lung disease in workers who develop a lymphocyte-mediated sensitization to the metal. Workers in diverse industries are at risk because beryllium's properties are critical to nuclear, aerospace, telecommunications, electronic, metal alloy, biomedical, and semiconductor industries. The occupational air concentration standard's failure to protect beryllium workers is driving many scientific and occupational health advances. These developments include study of bioavailability of different physicochemical forms of beryllium, medical surveillance to show effectiveness of skin protection in preventing sensitization in high-risk processes, gene-environment interaction, transgenic mice for use in experimental research, and risk-based management of industrial exposures in the absence of effective exposure-response information. Beryllium sensitization and disease prevention are paradigms for much broader public health action in both occupational and general population settings.
Keywords
Beryllium-compounds; Beryllium-disease; Beryllium-poisoning; Sensitization; Genetics; Skin-exposure; Metals; Lymphocytes; Lung-disorders; Standards; Disease-prevention; Public-health
; Pulmonary-system-disorders; Respiratory-system-disorders
Contact
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV 26505
Document Type
Journal Article
Email Address
kkreiss@cdc.gov
Priority Area
Manufacturing
Source Name
Annual Review of Public Health