Abstract
Beryllium metal, first discovered in France in 1798, has proved to be of great value to the aerospace, nuclear, electronics, and computer industries. Its light weight, stability, considerable hardness, lack of magnetic qualities, and electrical and thermal conductivity properties make beryllium an ideal substance for various “high technology” applications. 1 Stonehouse AJ Zenczak S Properties, production processes, and applications.. in: Rossman MD Preuss OP Powers MB Beryllium: biomedical and environmental aspects. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore1991: 27-55 Google Scholar However, over 50 years ago, it was recognized that inhaled beryllium dusts or fumes can cause lung injury. First reported in Germany in 1933, 2 Weber HH Englehardt WE Über eine Apparatur zur Erzeugung niedriger Staubkonzentrationen von grosser Konstanz und eine Methode zur mikrogravinctrischen Staubbestemmung. Anwendung bei der Untersuchung von Stauben aus der Berylliumsgewinnung.. Zentbl GewHyg Unfallerhüt. 1933; 10: 41-47 Google Scholar beryllium-induced lung disease was recognized as the cause of numerous cases of disability and death among workers in the fluorescent lamp industry in Massachusetts in the 1930s and 1940s. 3 Hardy H Beryllium disease: a clinical perspective.. Environ Res. 1980; 21: 1-9 Crossref PubMed Scopus (35) Google Scholar It is now recognized that beryllium can cause two types of lung injury: (1) an acute chemical pneumonitis, and (2) a chronic inflammatory lung lesion characterized by granuloma formation which is indistinguishable histopathologically from sarcoidosis. 4 Freiman DG Hardy HL Beryllium disease: the relation of pulmonary pathology to clinical course and prognosis based on a study of 130 cases from the U.S. Beryllium Case Registry.. Hum Pathol. 1970; 1: 25-44 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (130) Google Scholar , 5 Kriebel D Brain JD Sprince NL Kazemi H The pulmonary toxicity of beryllium.. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1988; 137: 464-473 Crossref PubMed Scopus (76) Google Scholar The majority of cases of beryllium lung disease have been reported in North America with some 900 cases reported in the USA Case Register since it was established in 1951, 6 Eisenbud M Lisson J Epidemiological aspects of beryllium induced non malignant lung disease: a 30 year update.. J Occup Med. 1983; 25: 196-202 Crossref PubMed Scopus (110) Google Scholar and numerous cases have also been reported in the United Kingdom. 7 Jones-Williams W Nosworthy SE Williams WR UK beryllium case registry.. in: Jones-Williams W Davies BH Eighth international conference on sarcoidosis and other granulomatous diseases. Alpha Omega Publishing Limited, Cardiff, Wales1980: 771 Google Scholar
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