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Query: UMLS:C0037116 (silicosis)
 1,822 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The authors review the computed tomographic (CT) features of thoracic tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections throughout their progressive stages. The spectrum of parenchymal findings seen in mycobacterial disease as well as the chronic changes of prior tuberculosis are illustrated. Altered appearances of tuberculosis occurring in patients with preexisting chest diseases such as sarcoidosis and silicosis and those associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are demonstrated. CT and conventional radiography are compared, and the advantages and complementary nature of CT are illustrated. The role of CT in evaluating complications of tuberculosis, including cavities, bronchogenic spread, bronchiectasis, and aspergilloma, is discussed.
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PMID:CT features of thoracic mycobacterial disease. 218 6

Without imaging procedures a variety of chest diseases cannot be diagnosed sufficiently. Examples are acute and chronic pneumonia, toxic effects on the bronchial and alveolar system, immunologic and malignant changes and cardiovascular disease involving the lung. Especially important are the types of disease that attack large sections of a population, because a path of infection may be hidden or because of short- or long-term exposure to relevant concentrations of toxic or allergic agents--not necessarily recognized as such--at work, in the general environment or associated with certain types of behaviour or illness. All this may have effects on biostatistical and socioeconomic data. Considering available epidemiologic data on morbidity and mortality, then pulmonary tuberculosis, unspecific pneumonias, drug-induced and AIDS-associated lung disease, pneumoconioses (silicosis and asbestosis) and primary and secondary chest malignancies have to be included in this category. Conventional chest radiography with high-kV technique and modern film-screen combinations continues to be the imaging modality for initial evaluation of chest disease worldwide. Low radiation exposure, low cost and overall availability are major advantages. Conventional tomography, however, has nowadays been largely replaced by CT, though a few special indications remain. High-resolution CT (HRCT) and the spiral technique bring additional benefits. Periodic radiographic mass screening of populations with certain disease prevalence still seems feasible, taking risk assessment, cost effectiveness and radiation exposure into account.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[The importance of thoracic radiology for public health since 1896]. 761 Feb 49

A retrospective anatomoclinic study of 29 cases of miliary tuberculosis, selected from 2.808 necropsies carried out at Hospital Central de Asturias between 1971 and 1994, is described. Fifty eight per cent of the patients were older than 50 years. Predisposing factors were identified in 80%: diabetes, alcoholism, chronic hepatopaty, silicosis, chronic renal failure, immunessupresive treatment and malignant neoplasms. A premorten correct clinical diagnosis were done in 8 cases (27.5%) and were suspected in 4 (13.7%). Typical miliary radiologic pattern was established in 17%. The more frequently affected organs were lungs (100%), liver (82%), spleen (75%), lymphatic nodes (55%) and bone marrow (41%). Early diagnosis and treatment is nowadays more difficult because of increasing of cryptic tuberculosis, involvement of resistant organs (pancreas), new predisposing factors (chronic renal failure), new risk groups (AIDS) and lack of demonstrative clinical and radiologic findings, so is necessary to maintain suspect of this disease always in mind.
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PMID:[Miliary tuberculosis. Autopsy study of 29 cases]. 771 11

Tuberculosis killed 1 of every 150 persons in the general population in cities such as London, Stockholm, New York, Hamburg, Taipei, and Tokyo in the late 18th, early 19th, and late 19th century. Presently, the level is more than 100 times lower. The rate of decline has recently slowed or stopped. As tuberculosis declines in the community, it becomes a disease of subgroups who either have been previously infected (immigrants), whose immunity is reduced (AIDS, silicosis, or diabetes patients) or among whom transmission continues at a high rate (in urban slums). In Canada, 80% of all cases arise among high-risk groups in whom the notification rate is over 10 times higher than in the general community. The most important of these groups are immigrants. From 1970 to 1990, the proportion of cases among immigrants to Canada rose from 20% to 50% of all cases. The explanation for the rise in the proportion was the change in source of immigrants to Canada from mostly Europeans in 1965 to mostly Asians in 1975. The record of tuberculosis in developing countries has not been as positive as in industrialized countries due to the inability to achieve satisfactory treatment in patients with active tuberculosis. Recently, within cost-effective tuberculosis programs developed by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease in collaboration with Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Benin and Nicaragua, and with Norway, Switzerland, and the Netherlands as donor partners, more than 70,000 cases of tuberculosis are diagnosed and treated per year, and more than 75% are cured. The strategy of fighting tuberculosis includes the proper education of health care workers in developing countries; in industrialized countries focusing attention on the high risk groups and the care and prevention of tuberculosis; and preventive chemotherapy.
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PMID:Strategies for the fight against tuberculosis. 818 65

Occupational settings offer an ideal opportunity to provide preventive health services for HIV-infected workers. A specialized clinic was established in a mining hospital in the Free State, South Africa, with the primary aim of delivering preventive therapy such as isoniazid to those at high risk of tuberculosis (individuals with HIV infection or silicosis), and cotrimoxazole to those at highest risk for opportunistic infections. The clinic design has taken regard of the importance of minimizing stigma, protecting confidentiality, monitoring potential side effects, supporting adherence and identification of prophylaxis failure. The clinic opened in April 1999 and, by August 2001, 1773 patients had attended at least once; 1762 are HIV-infected and 11 have silicosis. Of those with HIV infection, most were asymptomatic at their first visit. The clinic has achieved high acceptability: 99% of persons who were actively recruited to the service agreed to attend. The number still attending after a median of 13 months from recruitment was 1,270 (72%) and only 48 (2.7%) have declined continued attendance. Most losses were due to termination of employment unrelated to a medical condition. The clinic has already been successfully replicated in two other regions of the mining health service in South Africa and provides a model for workplace HIV clinical services that could be used for implementation of further interventions such as antiretroviral therapy.
AIDS Care 2004 Jan
PMID:Feasibility and acceptability of a specialist clinical service for HIV-infected mineworkers in South Africa. 1466 Jan 43

Silicosis and tuberculosis (TB) are significant mining-related illnesses in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to examine annual cases of these diseases in Zambian miners, including comparison of periods before (1960-1970) and after (1992-2002) the arrival of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The Occupational Health and Safety Research Bureau of Zambia reported 2114 cases from 1945 to 2002. Of these, 22.7% were silicosis, 65.4% TB, and the remaining 11.9% silicotuberculosis. While silicosis cases decreased from 28.6% to 12.4% with the arrival of HIV/AIDS, there was a large increase in tuberculosis cases (37.1% to 86.1%), with a corresponding decrease in silicotuberculosis cases (34.3% to 1.6%). Although silicosis remains an occupational health issue in Zambian miners, the most significant problem appears to be the marked increase in cases of TB.
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PMID:Silicosis and tuberculosis in Zambian miners. 1613 Sep 67

A revision of mycobacterial disease due to M simiae (n = 4) and "M. sherrisii" (n = 6) identified during an eight-year period is presented. Cases occurred among patients with AIDS (n = 6), previous history of silicosis (n = 2) or tuberculosis (n = 2). One case was lost to follow-up and the remaining nine responded poorly to chemotherapy based on clarithromycin, ethambutol and fluoroquinolones. Five patients died of whom four were HIV-positive, three remained chronic and one was cured. These microorganisms originated 2.1% of mycobacterioses cases detected in an eight-year period. Timely identification of this group of uncommon mycobacteria by molecular methods seems to be clinically relevant in order to warn of difficulties inherent to the treatment. However, the distinction between both closely related microorganisms might not be crucial for case management as no distinctive characteristics were evident among patients affected by M. simiae or "M. sherrisii".
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PMID:[Disease due to Mycobacterium simiae and "Mycobacterium sherrisii" in Argentina]. 2067 55

South African miners face an epidemic of occupational lung diseases. Despite a plethora of research on the mining industry, and the gold mining industry in particular, research impact (including disease surveillance) on policy implementation and occupational health systems performance lags. We describe the gold mining environment, and research on silicosis, tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS, and compensation for occupational disease including initiatives to influence policy and thus reduce dust levels and disease. As these have been largely unsuccessful, we identify possible impediments, some common to other low- and middle-income countries, to the translation of research findings and policy initiatives into effective interventions.
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PMID:Occupational lung disease in the South African mining industry: research and policy implementation. 2173 Sep 95

The treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) has been established as valid for patients at high risk for developing active tuberculosis. Treatment of LTBI is also considered an important strategy for eliminating tuberculosis (TB) in Japan. In recent years, interferon-gamma release assays have come into widespread use; isoniazid (INH) preventive therapy for HIV patients has come to be recommended worldwide; and there have been increases in both types of biologics used in the treatment of immune diseases as well as the diseases susceptible to treatment. In light of the above facts, the Prevention Committee and the Treatment Committee of the Japanese Society for Tuberculosis have jointly drafted these guidelines. In determining subjects for LTBI treatment, the following must be considered: 1) risk of TB infection/ development; 2) infection diagnosis; 3) chest image diagnosis; 4) the impact of TB development; 5) the possible manifestation of side effects; and 6) the prospects of treatment completion. LTBI treatment is actively considered when relative risk is deemed 4 or higher, including risk factors such as the following: HIV/AIDS, organ transplants (immunosuppressant use), silicosis, dialysis due to chronic renal failure, recent TB infection (within 2 years), fibronodular shadows in chest radiographs (untreated old TB), the use of biologics, and large doses of corticosteroids. Although the risk is lower, the following risk factors require consideration of LTBI treatment when 2 or more of them are present: use of oral or inhaled corticosteroids, use of other immunosuppressants, diabetes, being underweight, smoking, gastrectomy, and so on. In principle, INH is administered for a period of 6 or 9 months. When INH cannot be used, rifampicin is administered for a period of 4 or 6 months. It is believed that there are no reasons to support long-term LTBI treatment for immunosuppressed patients in Japan, where the risk of infection is not considered markedly high. For pregnant women, HIV-positive individuals, heavy drinkers, and individuals with a history of liver injury, regular liver function tests are necessary when treatment is initiated and when symptoms are present. There have been reports of TB developing during LTBI treatment; therefore, attention should be paid to TB development symptoms. When administering LTBI treatment, patients must be educated about side effects, the risk of developing TB onset, and the risks associated with discontinuing medication. Treatment outcomes and support for continuation of treatment are evaluated in cooperation with health centers. As stipulated by the Infectious Diseases Control Law, doctors are required to notify a health center when an individual develops TB. Based on this notification, the health center registers the patient, sends a public health nurse to visit the patient and give instructions, and provides medication adherence support. The patient applies at a health center for public expenses for medical care at a designated TB care facility. Pending approval in a review by an infectious disease examination council, the patient's copayment is reduced.
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PMID:Treatment guidelines for latent tuberculosis infection. 2465 27

Zambia is endowed with mineral wealth that includes copper, cobalt, gold, nickel, lead, silver, uranium, zinc, and numerous precious and semi-precious stones. Mining activities are predominantly found on the Copperbelt and North-Western Provinces, although these minerals are dotted all over the country. Copper mining in Zambia dates back to the 1900s and this period witnessed massive investment in mine development with concomitant increase in support facilities including building of new towns, roads and other commercial infrastructure. The mining sector has therefore evoked considerable national attention for its potential to contribute towards economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation. However, mining and mineral processing by its very nature comes with environmental costs and the effects can continue long after the mining has stopped. The aim of this article was to review the relevant publications on the impacts of air pollution arising from mining operations with respect to human health, plants, animals and infrastructure and synthesize the views of researchers and suggest any additional research required to inform policy and remedial actions. This review has revealed that there is a paucity of studies on mining-related air pollution in Zambia. The main identified air pollutants were SO2 and particulate matter (PM), both fine and ultrafine (PM10, PM5.0, PM2.5 and PM0.1). The main sources of these pollutants were flue gases from smelter operations and dusts within the mines and those blown from both operational and abandoned waste rock, overburden and tailings dump sites. The identified occupational diseases for miners in Zambia were silicosis and tuberculosis, which have been compounded by the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. In the hotspot townships of air-borne exposures from smelter emissions in Mufulira, ambient air SO2 levels exceeded the 'safe' limits of international and National standards. Moreover, the top soils have turned acidic and have become laden with heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Co and Fe). These metals were also found in the dust deposited on leaves of crops. There were also visual signs of impaired vegetation cover and corroded housing infrastructure in the affected areas. In the vicinity of the abandoned Pb-Zn mine in Kabwe, the soils have been contaminated by heavy metals and pathological lead poisoning of children and wild mammals have occurred. The review article has further examined study gaps and suggested areas that need further research in order to address the challenges arising from the legacy of copper mining in Zambia. These include comprehensive PM characterization from mining environments, extent of occupation exposure to air pollutants, efficiency and efficacy of airborne control technologies, health risks and epidemiological studies in mining towns, and the influence of exposure to PM on pulmonary tuberculosis and HIV/aids among miners.
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PMID:Preliminary review of mine air pollution in Zambia. 3168 79


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