Asbestos

Occupations associated with asbestos exposure

  • shipworkers
  • Builders

Clinically significant asbestos

  1. White asbestos (Chrysotile)
    • 90% asbestos used in industy
    • Long woolly fibres: associated with fibrosis
  2. Blue asbestos (Crocidolite)
    • Straight short fibres: associated with malignancy, fibrosis (penetrate more deeply into lungs and are associated with greater pathology)
  3. Brown asbestos (Amosite)
    • Straight long fibres: associated with fibrosis

Asbestos-related diseases

  • Ca Bronchus (esp blue/crocidolite)
  • Malignant mesothelioma
  • Asbesosis - fibrotic lung disease
  • Chronic bronchitis