Cigarette smoking is one of the most dangerous lifestyle habits yet in 1 in 5 American adults are smokers. Fortunately the number of smokers has declined since the 1970s but cigarette smoking continue to be a major contributor to a host of diseases, several of which are life threatening. Understanding how cigarette smoking can harm you, and even kill you, is important for every person – whether you are a smoker or live and work with a smoker. The reality is that even if you think it may not happen to you as a smoker, you should at least be aware of what cigarette smoking may be doing to you, your family and your colleagues.

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What is berylliosis?

Berylliosis is type of lung disease caused by inhaling beryllium. It only affects a small proportion of people exposed to beryllium and is mainly seen among beryllium workers. Beryllium is a metal that is not commonly encountered in everyday life . Therefore berylliosis is primarily an occupational lung disease. It can be inhaled as a dust or vapor. Beryllium inhalation can cause two types of lung conditions – one is an acute pneumonitis and the other is a chronic granulomatous lung disease. It is the chronic form which is known as berylliosis but the term is often loosely used even for the acute form of beryllium lung diseae.

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Definition

Silo filler’s disease is a condition caused by inhaling toxic levels of oxides of nitrogen gas. It is primarily an occupational disease associated with working in farm silos where crops are stored. It should not be confused with farmer’s lung, another occupational disease seen in farm workers but arising from the inhalation of molds (fungi) that taint organic substances. Both silo filler’s disease and farmer’s lung are not infections. The toxicity arises from inhaling nitrogen dioxide which is not the same as nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”).

Incidence

Silo filler’s disease is a relatively uncommon occupational disease among agricultural workers. It is estimated to affect only about 5 out of 100,000 silo workers in the United States. However, it is possible that the incidence is higher and patients probably do not seek medical attention for mild exposure. Furthermore, greater awareness about the condition has possibly contributed to a lower incidence. Silo filler’s disease is potentially life-threatening and suffocation can occur within minutes in the event of exposure to very high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide.

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Definition

Tobacco worker’s lung is a condition marked by lung inflammation and subsequent scarring in the air sacs due to inhaling molds present in tobacco. It is not a lung infection but rather an immune reaction within the lungs to these molds. It is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis or extrinsic allergic alveolitis. The condition is also known as tobacco farmer’s lung but also occurs among tobaccos factory worker. Even though tobacco is commonly encountered in daily life, especially among tobacco users, this lung condition is almost entirely seen only in tobacco factory and farm workers. It is a result of a prolonged exposure to large amounts of tobacco dust with the airborne mold that the condition arises. Such large amounts is not encountered in daily life. Cigarette smoking may exacerbate tobacco worker’s lung but is not the cause of the condition.

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Definition

Aspiration pneumonia is a condition where foreign material enters the lower airways thereby causing inflammation of the lung. It can result in chemical damage of the lung tissue or a lung infection. The term aspiration pneumonia is usually reserved for a lung infection, mainly bacterial, where the bacteria carried into the lung is through aspirated material.

Aspiration pneumonitis, or chemical pneumonitis, is the term for chemical injury and inflammation of the lung tissue without an infection. However, an infection may set in days later. The term aspiration pneumonia is broadly used for both chemical injury and infection of the lung tissue. The condition can lead to complications such as a lung abscess, acute respiratory distress, pulmonary fibrosis and even death.

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