title: [Health effects of diesel exhaust: a state of the art].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This review presents the state of knowledge regarding the acute and chronic toxicity of diesel engine exhaust in humans.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The health effects of diesel engine exhaust, which is a complex mixture of gas and particulate matter (ultrafine and fine particles), are mainly irritation of the respiratory tract and carcinogenicity. They may also facilitate the development of respiratory allergies. A recent reassessment by the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that there is sufficient evidence of a causal association between exposure to diesel engine exhaust and lung cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The epidemiologic data collected during the last two decades also show limited evidence of increased risks of bladder cancer, as well as of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in diesel engine exhaust exposed workers. Both experimental and epidemiological studies have involved the effect of emissions from traditional diesel engine technology. Major developments in this technology have occurred recently and the toxicity of emissions from these new engines is still to be characterized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further studies are needed to explore the link between diesel engine exhaust exposure and the risks of bladder cancer, as well as of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and respiratory allergies. Research is also needed to get more information about the toxicity of the new diesel technology emissions.
authors.affiliation: Société nationale des chemins de fer, cellule de toxicologie, département prévention et santé, 44, rue de Rome, 75008 Paris, France. Electronic address: claire.habert@sncf.fr.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Habert
authors.affiliation: Société nationale des chemins de fer, cellule de toxicologie, département prévention et santé, 44, rue de Rome, 75008 Paris, France; Centre antipoison de Paris, groupe hospitalier Lariboisière-Saint Louis, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garnier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000633:toxicity; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018876:Environmental Illness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005742:Gasoline / Q000633:toxicity; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D005742:Gasoline; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D002248:Carbon Monoxide
keywords: Asthma; Asthme; Lung cancer; Particulate matter; Particules solides; Tumeurs du poumon; Vehicle emissions; Émissions des véhicules