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Related Concept Videos

Types of Toxins01:36

Types of Toxins

Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Other Pulmonary Disorders01:17

Other Pulmonary Disorders

Respiratory disorders encompass a range of conditions with varying levels of severity. Asthma, marked by chronic airway inflammation and hypersensitivity, is one such condition. It can lead to airway obstruction due to factors like bronchial spasms, mucosal edema, increased mucus secretion, or epithelial damage. Asthma triggers are diverse, ranging from allergens to emotional upset, and treatment focuses on both immediate relief through bronchodilators and long-term inflammation suppression.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I01:29

Pulmonary Tuberculosis I

Tuberculosis, often called TB, is a contagious illness primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the lung parenchyma but can also impact other body parts.
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
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Asthma-I: Introduction01:29

Asthma-I: Introduction

Asthma is a chronic respiratory ailment that requires careful management due to its varying symptoms and influencing factors. It is characterized by airway inflammation, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and reversible airflow obstruction, leading to symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. The symptom frequency and intensity may vary considerably over time. It is also linked to immune system responses to allergens and irritants, highlighting the complex...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease I: Introduction01:23

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease I: Introduction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a common, preventable, and treatable respiratory disorder characterized by persistent symptoms and progressive airflow limitation. This limitation results from a combination of small-airway disease (obstructive bronchiolitis) and parenchymal destruction (emphysema), both driven by chronic inflammation from exposure to harmful particles or gases.The disease includes two main pathological entities: emphysema, marked by destruction of alveolar walls and...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease II: Emphysema01:23

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease II: Emphysema

Emphysema, a major phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is characterized by irreversible destruction of alveolar walls and permanent enlargement of distal airspaces. Unlike chronic bronchitis, which primarily affects the airways, emphysema predominantly involves the lung parenchyma, where structural damage leads to airflow limitation.PathophysiologyIt most commonly results from prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke and other toxic gases, particularly cigarette smoke.

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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in asbestos-exposed workers.

The American review of respiratory disease·1991
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Pulmonary fibrosis in aluminum oxide workers. Investigation of nine workers, with pathologic examination and microanalysis in three of them.

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Multiple cystic fibrohistiocytic tumors of the lung: report of two cases.

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Asbestos-associated diseases in a cohort of cigarette-filter workers.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 25, 2026

Implantation and Monitoring by PET/CT of an Orthotopic Model of Human Pleural Mesothelioma in Athymic Mice
07:54

Implantation and Monitoring by PET/CT of an Orthotopic Model of Human Pleural Mesothelioma in Athymic Mice

Published on: December 21, 2019

Asbestos exposure in buildings.

E A Gaensler1

  • 1Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts.

Clinics in Chest Medicine
|June 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary

Asbestos-related diseases are dose-dependent, with current low-level exposures from buildings posing minimal risk. Risk assessments often extrapolate from high-dose occupational data, overlooking uncertainties and fiber type differences.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Occupational Medicine
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Asbestos-related diseases, including asbestosis and lung cancer, are linked to exposure dose.
  • Mesothelioma is a concern even at lower household and neighborhood asbestos exposures.
  • Public anxiety over asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in buildings is high due to detected fibers and extrapolated risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the actual health risks associated with asbestos exposure from building occupancy.
  • To critically assess the methodologies and assumptions used in current asbestos risk estimations.
  • To differentiate risks based on asbestos fiber type and exposure levels.

Main Methods:

  • Review of epidemiologic studies on asbestos exposure and related diseases.

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  • Analysis of dose-response relationships, particularly extrapolations to low-level exposures.
  • Comparison of risk estimates based on occupational versus building occupancy exposures.

    • Main Results:

    • Asbestosis is primarily linked to past heavy occupational exposures and is not a concern with current low-level building exposures.
    • Lung cancer risk, while possibly increased with high exposure, may be linked to inflammation and fibrogenesis processes.
    • Current risk estimates for building occupancy often rely on uncertain extrapolations from high-dose occupational data and may overestimate risk, especially for less toxic chrysotile fibers.

    Conclusions:

    • Clinical and epidemiologic data do not support significant asbestos-related disease risk from typical building occupancy.
    • Risk estimates for low-level asbestos exposure are fraught with uncertainties, including unproven linear dose-response assumptions and lack of data on fiber type and dimensions.
    • Further research is needed to refine risk assessments, considering specific fiber types and improved exposure measurement techniques.