doiSerbia

Silicotuberculosis and silicosis as occupational diseases: Report of two cases

Milovanović Aleksandar (Institut za medicinu rada Srbije, Medicinski fakultet, Beograd)
Nowak Dennis (Institut i poliklinika za medicinu rada, zaštitu životne sredine i socijalnu medicinu, Medicinski centar Univerziteta Ludvig Maksimilijans, Univerzitet u Minhenu, Minhen, Nemačka)
Milovanović Anđela (Klinika za fizikalnu medicinu i rehabilitaciju, Klinički centar Srbije, Beograd)
Hering Kurt G. (Rudarska bolnica, Medicinski centar, Vestfalija, Dortmund, Nemačka)
Kline Joel N. (Odeljenje za pulmologiju, intenzivnu negu i medicinu rada, Univerzitetska bolnica Univerziteta u Ajovi, Ajova Siti, Ajova, SAD;)
Kovalevskiy Evgeny (Istraživački institut za medicinu rada Ruske akademije medicinskih nauka, Moskva, Rusija)
Kundiev Ilich Yuriy (Institut za medicinu rada Akademije medicinskih nauka Ukrajine, Kijev, Ukrajina)
Peruničić Bogoljub (Institut za medicinu rada Srbije, Medicinski fakultet, Beograd)
Popević Martin (Institut za medicinu rada Srbije, Medicinski fakultet, Beograd)
Šuštran Branka (Institut za medicinu rada Srbije, Medicinski fakultet, Beograd)
Nenadović Milutin (Specijalna bolnica za psihijatrijske bolesti „Dr Laza Lazarević”, Beograd)

Introduction. Silicosis, the most prevalent of the pneumoconioses, is caused by inhalation of crystalline silica particles. Silica-exposed workers are at increased risk for tuberculosis and other mycobacterium-related diseases. The risk of a patient with silicosis developing tuberculosis is higher (2.8 to 39 fold higher, depending on the severity of silicosis) than that found in healthy controls. Outline of Cases. The first patient was a 52-year-old male who was admitted in 2002 for the second time with dyspnoea, wheezing and fatigue over the last 11 years. He had worked in an iron smelting factory and was exposed to silica dust for 20 years. First hospitalization chest radiography showed bilateral pleural adhesions, diffuse lung fibrosis with signs of a specific lung process. Second hospitalization chest radiography showed bilateral massive irregular, non-homogenous calcified changes in the upper and middle parts of lungs. The patient died due to respiratory failure and chronic pulmonary heart in 2007. The main causes of his death were silicotuberculosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The second patient was a 50-year-old male who was admitted in 2005 for the second time with chest tightness, dyspnoea, wheezing and fatigue over the last 10 years. He had worked in an iron smelting factory and was exposed to silica dust for 30 years. First hospitalization chest radiography showed diffuse lung fibrosis and small nodular opacities. The patient was diagnosed with silicosis, small opacities sized level p/q, and profusion level 2/3. Second hospitalization chest radiography and CT showed diffuse lung fibrosis and small nodular opacities predominantly in the upper lobes. The patient was recognized as having an occupational disease, and received early retirement due to disability. Conclusion. In low-income countries, new cases of silicosis and associated lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and tuberculosis are likely to be seen for decades because necessary reduction of silica use will take time to be achieved.

Keywords: silica dust, silicosis, silicotuberculosis, occupational disease, fatal outcome