Balb/c mice were exposed to aerosolized chrysotile fibers and evaluated as a host for the study of asbestos-induced pulmonary disease. Histologically, an initial macrophage reaction was found to progress to "asbestos body" formation and diffuse focal interstitial fibrosis within 1 year of a chronic exposure period. This reaction was most intense in areas adjacent to respiratory bronchioles and ...

Communications for this section will be published as space and priorities permit. The comments should not exceed 350 words in length, with a maximum offive references; onefigure or table can be printed. Exceptions may occur under particular circumstance& Contributions may include comments on articles published in this periodical, or they may be reports ofunique educational character Specific pe...

There is a spectrum of clinical entities following occupational exposure to asbestos. Methods of evaluation for these problems are reviewed. Nonmalignant clinical conditions include asbestos warts, asbestos bodies, parenchymal fibrosis (asbestosis), pleural fibrosis and calcification, and benign asbestotic pleural effusion. Asbestosis, though a benign process, is a significant cause of death. M...

The question of whether lung cancer can be attributed to asbestos exposure in the absence of asbestosis remains controversial. Nine key epidemiological papers are reviewed in a point/counterpoint format, giving the main strengths and limitations of the evidence presented. Of the nine papers, two concluded that asbestosis was necessary and seven that it was not. However, the study design, nature...

The English-language literature was reviewed to evaluate a possible relationship between asbestos-related pleural plaques and lung cancer in the absence of parenchymal asbestosis. There were six cohort studies in which the comparison group was limited to unexposed persons or the general population, four lung cancer case-control studies, and three autopsy studies. Of the 13 investigations, only ...

A 76-year-old male died of lung cancer. At first, he was diagnosed as a silicosis, because he had worked for 30 years as a caster in shipyard and large opacities detected by chest x-ray and CT scanning. After the operation of lung cancer, numerous asbestos bodies were observed in the operated lung tissues. The detailed occupational inquiry revealed his asbestos use as a caster in shipyard. Earl...

Biochemical analyses of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) supernatants of sheep treated with weekly intratracheal instillations (for 6 months) of saline, 2 mg, or 128 mg of asbestos (chrysotile B; UICC) were performed. Our results showed that proteins (either total or its various components) and phospholipase A2 activity were unchanged in the low exposure group as compared to controls. However, in t...

OBJECTIVE To observe the longitudinal changes in pulmonary function associated with exposure to asbestos in a group of highly exposed workers. METHODS Pulmonary diffusing capacity (DLco) and spirometry of 243 Chinese asbestos workers were measured and remeasured after 5 and 10 yr. Their annual changes in relation to cumulative asbestos exposure and asbestosis were determined using multivariat...

This study was undertaken to determine the relation between radiographic and histological manifestations of pulmonary asbestosis (interstitial fibrosis) in insulation workers who had died of lung cancer. Of 450 confirmed deaths from lung cancer a chest radiograph suitable for determining evidence of pneumoconiosis was obtained in 219. Of these cases, 138 also had a tissue specimen submitted tha...