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Occupational Exposure and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Occupational Safety and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2021) | Viewed by 25511

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Piera Boschetto

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Guest Editor

Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara, 64B, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Interests: occupational airways diseases; COPD; ageing and work ability; occupational exposure and chronic conditions; non-communicable chronic diseases and work ability

Prof. Dr. Nicola Murgia

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Guest Editor

Section of Occupational Medicine, Respiratory Diseases and Toxicology, University of Perugia, Piazzale Severi, 06100 Perugia, Italy
Interests: Occupational lung diseases; Occupational allergic disorders; COPD risk factors; Respiratory work disability; Severe asthma and work

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health welcomes submissions for a Special Issue of the journal that will focus on occupational exposure and nonmalignant respiratory diseases.

Work-related respiratory diseases are an important public health issue and are avoidable through preventive interventions in the workplace. New occupational agents with unknown respiratory health effects are being constantly introduced into the market and require periodic health surveillance among exposed workers to detect early signs of adverse effects. In fact, inhalation of vapors, gas, dust, or fumes in the workplace is common worldwide, and it has an adverse effect on the worker’s health. It is estimated that deaths from work-related respiratory diseases and malignancies account for about 70% of all occupational disease mortality.

Epidemiological analyses have shown that the population-attributable fraction of occupational factors in mortality and morbidity from respiratory diseases is far from negligible: For asthma and COPD, respectively, it varies between 2% and 15% and 15% and 20%, resulting in a considerable number of cases worldwide. For some respiratory diseases, it is more difficult to estimate the specific contribution of occupational exposure due to late onset, often after retirement, and as happens for some interstitial lung diseases, a lack of specifically designed studies. Furthermore, occupational respiratory diseases are often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed because practicing clinicians rarely inquire about the working history or potential exposure of patients. If enquires were made, the etiology of a respiratory disease could help to solve it when it comes to work-related asthma or reduce the symptoms when it comes to other work-related respiratory disorders. Another crucial aspect of this topic is the correct evaluation of the incidence and prevalence of these disorders, which is difficult to do because of the imperfections of the health monitoring systems in relation to work factors differing greatly from one country to another.

These issues will be the subjects of our articles that will focus on airway diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung diseases, and respiratory infectious diseases, including tuberculosis. Our attention is on nonmalignant respiratory diseases through new research highlighting the relations between occupational exposure and worker health.

This Special Issue welcomes original and review studies in the respiratory area with particular attention to the contribution and impact of occupational exposure on diseases in order to propose directions for research in the area as well as to provide support for healthcare professionals.

Prof. Piera Boschetto
Prof. Nicola Murgia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Occupational asthma
Work-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Interstitial lung diseases
Sarcoidosis
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Occupational rehabilitation
Respiratory infectious diseases
Pneumonia
Tuberculosis

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1064 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tuberculosis and Other Airborne Microbes in Occupational Health and Safety

by Esther Vaquero-Álvarez, Antonio Cubero-Atienza, Pilar Ruiz-Martínez, Manuel Vaquero-Abellán, María Dolores Redel-Macías and Pilar Aparicio-Martínez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(19), 7088; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17197088 - 28 Sep 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2749

Abstract

Airborne pathogens and non-malignant infectious diseases such as tuberculosis are highly contagious and can have severe effects on healthcare workers. The symptoms of these diseases take time to manifest, which can prevent workers from noticing that they have been exposed until symptoms appear. The current paper sought to assess the occupational safety and preventative measures taken in laboratories in Spain, and to compare these measures with those reported by other studies worldwide. A cross-sectional study of workers (35–50 years old) was conducted using a web survey (N = 30), and a bibliometric analysis was carried out in the Scopus database (92 documents were selected). The occupational safety and health measures were inadequate, according to the opinions of the workers. The training (p < 0.01), the amount of work (p < 0.05), and how the workers followed their protocols (p < 0.001) were linked to incidents and exposure to airborne pathogens. The most significant previous publication was a report (848 citations) stating that the previous variables linked to exposure are vital for prevention. Most works focused on countries like the U.S.A. (p = 0.009) were reviews, with a limited number of studies focused on occupational safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Exposure and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease)

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Graphical abstract

12 pages, 656 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Non-Malignant Respiratory Illnesses in Association with Occupational Exposure to Asbestos and Other Insulating Materials: Findings from the Alberta Insulator Cohort

by Subhabrata Moitra, Ali Farshchi Tabrizi, Kawtar Idrissi Machichi, Samineh Kamravaei, Noushin Miandashti, Linda Henderson, Manali Mukherjee, Fadi Khadour, Muhammad T. Naseem, Paige Lacy and Lyle Melenka

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(19), 7085; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17197085 - 28 Sep 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 8422

Abstract

Many insulating materials are used in construction, although few have been reported to cause non-malignant respiratory illnesses. We aimed to investigate associations between exposures to insulating materials and non-malignant respiratory illnesses in insulators. In this cross-sectional study, 990 insulators (45 ± 14 years) were screened from 2011–2017 in Alberta. All participants underwent pulmonary function tests and chest radiography. Demographics, work history, and history of chest infections were obtained through questionnaires. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was diagnosed according to established guidelines. Associations between exposures and respiratory illnesses were assessed by modified Poisson regression. Of those screened, 875 (88%) were males. 457 (46%) participants reported having ≥ 1 chest infection in the past 3 years, while 156 (16%) were diagnosed with COPD. In multivariate models, all materials (asbestos, calcium silicate, carbon fibers, fiberglass, and refractory ceramic fibers) except aerogels and mineral fibers were associated with recurrent chest infections (prevalence ratio [PR] range: 1.18–1.42). Only asbestos was associated with COPD (PR: 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01, 2.05). Therefore, occupational exposure to insulating materials was associated with non-malignant respiratory illnesses, specifically, recurrent chest infections and COPD. Longitudinal studies are urgently needed to assess the risk of exposure to these newly implemented insulation materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Exposure and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease)

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13 pages, 350 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reduced Cross-Shift Lung Function and Respiratory Symptoms among Integrated Textile Factory Workers in Ethiopia

by Yifokire Tefera Zele, Abera Kumie, Wakgari Deressa, Bente E. Moen and Magne Bråtveit

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(8), 2741; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17082741 - 16 Apr 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2679

Abstract

Chronic respiratory symptoms and reduction in lung function has been described as a common health problem among textile workers in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to measure lung function and respiratory symptoms among workers from an integrated textile factory. A comparative cross-sectional study design with a cross-shift lung function measurement was performed in 306 cotton dust exposed workers from an integrated textile factory and 156 control workers from a water bottling factory. An integrated textile factory typically has four main production departments (spinning, weaving, finishing, and garment) that process raw cotton and manufacture clothes or fabrics. Respiratory symptoms were assessed by adopting the standard American Thoracic Society questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logistic and linear regression analysis were used. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms was significantly higher among textile workers (54%) than in controls (28%). Chronic cough, chest tightness, and breathlessness were significantly higher among textile workers (23%, 33%, and 37%, respectively) than in the control group (5%, 17% and 6%, respectively). Breathlessness was the most prevalent chronic respiratory symptom with highest adjusted odds ratio 9.4 (95% CI 4.4–20.3). A significantly higher cross-shift lung function reduction was observed among textile workers (123 mL for FEV₁ and 129 mL for FVC) compared with the control group (14 mL for FEV₁ and 12 mL for FVC). Thus, workers’ respiratory health protection programs should be strengthened in textile factories. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Exposure and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease)

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Review

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10 pages, 662 KiB

Open AccessReview

Causes and Phenotypes of Work-Related Asthma

by Piero Maestrelli, Paul K. Henneberger, Susan Tarlo, Paola Mason and Piera Boschetto

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(13), 4713; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17134713 - 30 Jun 2020

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3698

Abstract

Work-related asthma (WRA) includes heterogeneous conditions, which have in common (i) symptoms and signs compatible with asthma and (ii) a relationship with exposures in the workplace. The types of WRA described in this review are distinguished by their etiology, comprising of work-exacerbated asthma (WEA), irritant-induced asthma (IIA), and immunologic occupational asthma (OA). There have been significant advances in the definition and characterization of the different forms of WRA by international panels of experts. The present review provides a comprehensive and updated view of the current knowledge on causes and phenotypes of WRA. Health care practitioners should consider WRA in any case of adult asthma, given that one fifth of workers with asthma report symptoms of WEA and it has been estimated that OA represents 10% to 25% of asthma in adulthood. The information provided in this review will facilitate the physician in the recognition of the different forms of WRA, since it has been established that five categories of agents are responsible for at least 60% of WEA cases and seven groups of agents are the cause of 70% of immunologic OA. In addition, there is agreement that IIA can be elicited not only by a single massive irritant exposure, but also by low/moderate repeated irritant exposures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Exposure and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease)

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32 pages, 1336 KiB

Open AccessReview

Welding Fumes, a Risk Factor for Lung Diseases

by Maria Grazia Riccelli, Matteo Goldoni, Diana Poli, Paola Mozzoni, Delia Cavallo and Massimo Corradi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(7), 2552; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17072552 - 08 Apr 2020

Cited by 47 | Viewed by 7375

Abstract

(1) Background: Welding fumes (WFs) are composed of fine and ultrafine particles, which may reach the distal airways and represent a risk factor for respiratory diseases. (2) Methods: In vitro and in vivo studies to understand WFs pathogenesis were selected. Epidemiological studies, original articles, review, and meta-analysis to examine solely respiratory disease in welders were included. A systematic literature search, using PubMed, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Technical Information Center (NIOSHTIC), and Web of Science databases, was performed. (3) Results: Dose, time of exposure, and composition of WFs affect lung injury. Inflammation, lung defense suppression, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and genotoxic effects were observed after exposure both to mild and stainless steel WFs. (4) Conclusions: The detection of lung diseases associated with specific occupational exposure is crucial as complete avoidance or reduction of the exposure is difficult to achieve. Further studies in the area of particle research may aid the understanding of mechanisms involved in welding-related lung disease and to expand knowledge in welding-related cardiovascular diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Exposure and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease)

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