title: Occupational and environmental bronchiolar disorders.
abstract: Occupational and environmental causes of bronchiolar disorders are recognized on the basis of case reports, case series, and, less commonly, epidemiologic investigations. Pathology may be limited to the bronchioles or also involve other components of the respiratory tract, including the alveoli. A range of clinical, functional, and radiographic findings, including symptomatic disease lacking abnormalities on noninvasive testing, poses a diagnostic challenge and highlights the value of surgical biopsy. Disease clusters in workplaces and communities have identified new etiologies, drawn attention to indolent disease that may otherwise have been categorized as idiopathic, and expanded the spectrum of histopathologic responses to an exposure. More sensitive noninvasive diagnostic tools, evidence-based therapies, and ongoing epidemiologic investigation of at-risk populations are needed to identify, treat, and prevent exposure-related bronchiolar disorders.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia.
authors.forename: Kristin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kreiss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055745:Bronchioles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects