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Mineral dust airway disease is a general term used to describe complications due to inhaled mineral dust causing fibrosis and narrowing of primarily the respiratory bronchioles. [1] It is a part of a group of disorders known as pneumoconioses which is characterized by inhaled mineral dust and the effects on the lungs.
Symptoms arise 4 to 12 hours after exposure to an organic dust, and generally last from one to five days. Common generalised symptoms include fever over 38 °C, chills, myalgia and malaise. The most frequent respiratory symptoms are dyspnea and a dry cough, while a wheeze may be present less commonly.
Occupational dust exposure occurs when small particles are generated at the workplace through the disturbance/agitation of rock/mineral, dry grain, timber, fiber, or other material. When these small particles become suspended in the air, they can pose a risk to the health of those who breath in the contaminated air.
When a person becomes sensitized to wood dust, he or she can suffer severe allergic reactions (such as asthma or dermatitis) after repeated exposure or exposure to lower concentrations of the dust. [3] Other common symptoms associated with wood dust exposure include skin and eye irritation; nasal dryness and obstruction; and prolonged colds. [3]
Brief or casual exposure to low levels of crystalline silica dust are said to not produce clinically significant lung disease. [45] In less developed countries where work conditions are poor and respiratory equipment is seldom used, the life expectancy is low (e.g. for silver miners in Potosí, Bolivia, is around 40 years due to silicosis).
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Pneumoconiosis is the general term for a class of interstitial lung disease where inhalation of dust (for example, ash dust, lead particles, pollen grains etc) has caused interstitial fibrosis. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] The three most common types are asbestosis , silicosis , and coal miner's lung . [ 3 ]
Exposure to coal dust is the cause of coalworker's pneumoconiosis, also called "black lung disease", is an interstitial lung disease caused by long-term exposure (over 10 years) to coal dust. Symptoms include shortness of breath and lowered pulmonary function. It can be fatal when advanced.