IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i7p1179-d219161.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Accelerated Silicosis—An Emerging Epidemic Associated with Engineered Stone. Comment on Leso, V. et al. Artificial Stone Associated Silicosis: A Systematic Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16 (4), 568, doi:10.3390/ijerph16040568

Author

Listed:
  • Graeme Edwards

    (The Work Doctor, Gold Coast, QLD 4214 Queensland, Australia)

Abstract

The systematic review by Leso et al. (16 February 2019) is a timely contribution to the body of knowledge concerning silicosis. It highlights the lack of quality data necessary to inform both occupational health risk management and the clinical management of workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica. This communication highlights current activity being undertaken in Queensland, Australia, that will further inform our knowledge concerning this entirely preventable disease. We are about half-way through a government-funded, case-finding program involving over 800 workers from the engineered stone bench-top fabrication industry. As of 15 February 2019, 99 confirmed cases of silicosis associated with engineered stone work were identified; nearly all were asymptomatic. The empirically observed false negative rate of ILO CXRs in this high-risk group appeared significantly greater than 10%. From pooled data, we hope to develop an appropriate index of exposure to trigger health surveillance using low-dose chest HRCT. Once a worker develops symptoms of silicosis, apart from lung transplantation, there are no treatment options currently available.

Suggested Citation

  • Graeme Edwards, 2019. "Accelerated Silicosis—An Emerging Epidemic Associated with Engineered Stone. Comment on Leso, V. et al. Artificial Stone Associated Silicosis: A Systematic Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health ," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-2, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:7:p:1179-:d:219161
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/7/1179/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/7/1179/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Veruscka Leso & Luca Fontana & Rosaria Romano & Paola Gervetti & Ivo Iavicoli, 2019. "Artificial Stone Associated Silicosis: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-17, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mar Requena-Mullor & Raquel Alarcón-Rodríguez & Tesifón Parrón-Carreño & Jose Joaquín Martínez-López & David Lozano-Paniagua & Antonio F. Hernández, 2021. "Association between Crystalline Silica Dust Exposure and Silicosis Development in Artificial Stone Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-10, May.
    2. Veruscka Leso & Luca Fontana & Rosaria Romano & Paola Gervetti & Ivo Iavicoli, 2019. "Reply to Accelerated Silicosis—An Emerging Epidemic Associated with Engineered Stone. Comment on Leso, V. et al. Artificial Stone-Associated Silicosis: A Systematic Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Publi," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-3, April.
    3. Rachel Raanan & Oren Zack & Maya Ruben & Idan Perluk & Shlomo Moshe, 2022. "Occupational Silica Exposure and Dose–Response for Related Disorders—Silicosis, Pulmonary TB, AIDs and Renal Diseases: Results of a 15-Year Israeli Surveillance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-10, November.
    4. Preeti Maharjan & Joseph Crea & Michael Tkaczuk & Sharyn Gaskin & Dino Pisaniello, 2021. "Metal Ion Release from Engineered Stone Dust in Artificial Lysosomal Fluid—Variation with Time and Stone Type," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-11, June.
    5. Leigh Thredgold & Chandnee Ramkissoon & Chellan Kumarasamy & Richard Gun & Shelley Rowett & Sharyn Gaskin, 2022. "Rapid Assessment of Oxidative Damage Potential: A Comparative Study of Engineered Stone Dusts Using a Deoxyguanosine Assay," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-10, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:7:p:1179-:d:219161. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.