The beryllium lymphocyte transformation test was performed on 16 patients with chronic beryllium disease, 10 subjects (seven patients and three young boys) who were under suspicion, and 117 healthy beryllium workers. The tests gave a positive response in all patients with definite disease and a negative response in the suspected group. Two of the healthy workers had a positive response, indicat...

The role of genetic factors has been hypothesized in the pathogenesis of a number of chronic inflammatory lung diseases. The genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) locus on human chromosome 6 have been identified as important determinants in diseases caused both by inorganic and organic compounds such as beryllium, gold, acid anhydrides, isocyanates and grass pollens. Since many en...

A chronic progressive granulomatous disease of the lungs is described in a female chemist who worked for about two years with a beryllium compound in the manufacture of fluorescent lighting tubes. The level of beryllium in the laboratory atmosphere was found to be 2-7 ,ug. per cu.m. and in other parts of the factory up to 391 ,ug. per cu.m. were recorded. Symptoms began about two years after sh...

Epidemiological studies have reported process-specific elevated prevalence of beryllium sensitization (BeS) and chronic beryllium disease (CBD) among workers. However, exposure-response relationships have been inconsistent, possibly due to incomplete characterization of many biologically relevant aspects of exposure, including particle size. In 1999, two surveys were conducted 3-5 months apart ...

OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of beryllium sensitization among former and current Department of Defense workers from a conventional munitions facility. METHODS Participants were screened by using Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Test. Those sensitized were offered clinical evaluation for chronic beryllium disease. RESULTS Eight (1.5%) of 524 screened workers were found sensitized t...

The value of the beryllium macrophage migration inhibition (Be MIF) and Mantoux tests in the diagnosis of chronic beryllium disease and in the detection of hypersensitivity in healthy beryllium workers is demonstrated. In the absence of steroid treatment the Be MIF test is positive in chronic beryllium disease patients. Seven of 50 (14%) helathy beryllium workers were Be MIF positive, while all...

OBJECTIVES Exposure-response relations for beryllium sensitization (BeS) and chronic beryllium disease (CBD) using aerosol mass concentration have been inconsistent, although process-related risks found in most studies suggest that exposure-dependent risks exist. We examined exposure-response relations using personal exposure estimates in a beryllium worker cohort with l...