title: Occupational and environmental exposures and nonspecific lung disease--a review of selected studies.
abstract: Selected studies show that nonspecific lung diseases are a major occupational and environmental health hazard. Exposure to mineral dusts (such as cement and brown coal) and organic dusts (cotton, hemp and flour) as well as manganese and gaseous irritants causes significant upper respiratory tract injury. Possible additive effects of mixed exposures, combined exposure to dusts and gaseous irritants of the upper respiratory tract, individual susceptibility, and mechanisms of nonspecific respiratory effects of exposures are considered. Interpretation of the results is difficult due to uncontrolled confounding. Measures for preventing lung impairments include exposure reduction and preemployment examination of workers.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saric
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005740:Gases / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D008345:Manganese / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008669:Metallurgy; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D005740:Gases; D008345:Manganese