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An Outbreak of Acute Beryllium Disease in a Compound Metal Alloy Factory
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Hyunjoo Kim, Woo Chul Jeong, Young Koo Jee, Dae Seong Kim, Seong Kyu Kang, Sangchul Roh, Kyutag Cho, Donghyun Kim
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Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2008;20(1):1-8. Published online March 31, 2008
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2008.20.1.1
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 Abstract
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- OBJECTIVES
We conducted an epidemiological survey to inquire into an outbreak of acute pneumonitis after two reported cases of interstitial lung disease.
METHODS
The study subjects were 45 workers from a compound metal alloy factory. We reviewed the factory's industrial hygiene data along with the results of a special health examination, including pulmonary function tests, simple chest X-rays, and high resolution computed tomography.
RESULTS
The air concentrations of beryllium ranged from 0.42 microgram/m3 to 112.3 microgram/m3, and the mean concentration of urinary beryllium were 1.53+/-0.79 microgram/g of creatinine in the molding workers, 1.41+/- 0.50 microgram/g of creatinine in the casting workers, and 1.16+/-0.53 microgram/g of creatinine in the sorting workers. The rates for cough (p=0.054), dyspnea (p=0.030), and the use of medical services (p=0.018) were higher in the molding workers than in the non-molding workers. The incidence rate of acute interstitial lung disease was higher for the molding process (32.0%) than for the non-molding process (5.0%) (p=0.012). The time of employment for all patients was prior to December 1st, 2002.
CONCLUSIONS
Since most of the patients were molding workers, and all of the patients had worked without a ventilation system, this outbreak of acute interstitial lung disease was regarded as acute beryllium disease. Although the direct cause of the epidemic was the beryllium fumes, the fundamental cause was improper control of the work environment. Therefore, the means for preventing avoidable epidemics of occupational diseases are discussed.
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Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by  - Effects of Beryllium on Human Serum Immunoglobulin and Lymphocyte Subpopulation
Ki-Woong Kim, DaeSeong Kim, Yong Lim Won, Seong-Kyu Kang
Toxicological Research.2013; 29(2): 115. CrossRef
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The Present Status and Perspective of Nationwide Occupational Diseases Surveillance System
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Seong Kyu Kang, Young Koo Jee, Yeon Soon Ahn, Hyoung Ok Kim, Mi Na Ha, Ho Jang Kwon, Nam Jong Paik, Seong Ah Kim, Yun Chul Hong, Jai Yong Kim, Dae Hee Kang, Hye Sun Jung, Eun Hee Ha
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Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2001;13(2):116-126. Published online June 30, 2001
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2001.13.2.116
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Abstract
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- No abstract available.
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Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by - Cohort Profile: Gachon Regional Occupational Cohort Study (GROCS)
Wanhyung Lee, Yongho Lee, Junhyeong Lee, Uijin Kim, Eunsun Han, Seunghon Ham, Won-Jun Choi, Seong-Kyu Kang
Safety and Health at Work.2022; 13(1): 112. CrossRef - Occupational Skin Diseases in Korea
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Journal of Korean Medical Science.2010; 25(Suppl): S46. CrossRef - Occupational Diseases in Korea
Seong-Kyu Kang, Eun A Kim
Journal of Korean Medical Science.2010; 25(Suppl): S4. CrossRef - Asbestos-related Occupational Cancers Compensated under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance in Korea
Yeon-Soon AHN, Seong-Kyu KANG
Industrial Health.2009; 47(2): 113. CrossRef - Occupational Infectious Diseases among Korean Health Care Workers Compensated with Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance from 1998 to 2004
Yeon-Soon AHN, Hyun-Sul LIM
Industrial Health.2008; 46(5): 448. CrossRef - Occupational hand–arm vibration syndrome in Korea
Cheolin Yoo, Ji-Ho Lee, Choong-Ryeol Lee, Yangho Kim, Hun Lee, Younghee Choi, Young Wook Kim, Chang Ho Chae, Hyokyoung Kim, Sang Baek Koh, Euna Kim, Lu Jin Lee, Kiyoung Lee
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health.2005; 78(5): 363. CrossRef
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