RISK ASSESSMENT AND SCREENING STRATEGIES FOR BERYLLIUM EXPOSURE
Respirable beryllium is a potent toxicant that can cause pulmonary granulomas and inflammation in exposed individuals. These effects, known as chronic beryllium disease (CBD), occurred in 1–3% of all beryllium workers and in 4–11% of beryllium machinists and ceramics workers
in recent investigations. Decades ago, Merril Eisenbud and his colleagues conducted early epidemiologic research to improve the understanding of CBD risks at low levels of beryllium exposure. Today, CBD continues to pose a challenge to industrial hygienists, toxicologists, and other health
professionals and researchers seeking to understand and mitigate this difficult to treat but clearly preventable disease. We discuss current approaches for assessing and managing CBD risk, and highlight current research efforts that may improve our understanding of CBD. Special emphasis is
given to the role of genetics in CBD development, the use of immunologically based lymphocyte proliferation testing (LPT) in occupational health surveillance and risk management, and the social, legal, and ethical challenges posed by this information in forming appropriate preventive strategies.
Keywords: Berylliosis; Chronic beryllium disease (CBD); Lymphocyte proliferation testing (LPT); Occupational health; Polymorphism
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: January 1, 2000
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