1/2. Diffuse lung disease caused by cotton fibre inhalation but distinct from byssinosis.A 66 year old man had inhaled cotton fibre for 50 years at his workplace. He did not have any respiratory symptoms. Chest CT scans revealed diffuse centrilobular and peribronchovascular interstitial thickening. lung biopsy specimens confirmed the presence of string-like foreign bodies as well as granulomas and fibrosis in the peribronchial region. Infrared spectrophotometry confirmed that the foreign bodies were composed of natural cellulose. This is the first study to show directly by examination of biopsy samples that cotton fibre inhalation can cause diffuse lung disease. The clinical features of the disease were entirely different from those of byssinosis. ( info) |
2/2. First report of byssinosis in hong kong.There has been no report of byssinosis in hong kong although the textile industry has been one of the leading industries for many years. Three workers with a long history of exposure to cotton dust had chronic obstructive airways disease precipitated by their work environment. One had irreversible airways obstruction but none had chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or asthma. Only one gave a history of "Monday morning tightness," and this was attributed to the fact that most of the textile workers in hong kong work seven days a week. It was suggested that a survey be carried out to ascertain the importance of byssinosis in the textile workers of hong kong and tha byssinosis should there be added to the list of notifiable occupational diseases. ( info) |