Environmental and occupational causes of lung disease

Question 1

Farmer’s lung is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. What causes this?

Answer 1

Exposure to mouldy hay

Question 2

Bagassosis is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. What causes this?

Answer 2

Exposure to mouldy sugar cane

Question 3

Grain handler’s lung is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. What causes this?

Answer 3

Exposure to mouldy grain

Question 4

Humidifier’s lung is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. What causes this?

Answer 4

Exposure to contaminated forced air systems

Question 5

Bird breeder’s lung is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. What causes this?

Answer 5

Exposure to pigeons, parrots, parakeets, fowl and rodents

Question 6

Cheese worker’s lung is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. What causes this?

Answer 6

Exposure to cheese mould

Question 7

Malt worker’s lung is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. What causes this?

Answer 7

Exposure to mouldy malt

Question 8

Wheat weeril is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. What causes this?

Answer 8

Exposure to infested wheat

Question 9

Mollusc shell hypersensitivity is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. What causes this?

Answer 9

Exposure to shell dust

Question 10

Paprika splitter’s lung is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. What causes this?

Answer 10

Paprika dust

Question 11

What type of hypersensitivity reaction is hypersensitivity pneumonitis?

Answer 11

Type 3 or 4

Question 12

What are the pathological signs of chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis?

Answer 12

Extensive fibrosis with honeycombing and air trapping.

Question 13

What is the treatment for hypersensitivity pneumonitis?

Answer 13

Antigen avoidance

Question 14

Give 4 types of pneumoconiosis?

Answer 14

Asbestosis, Silicosis, Coal workers lung and berylliosis

Question 15

What is asbestosis?

Answer 15

Fibrotic lung disease caused by inhalation of asbestos

Question 16

What was asbestos used for and what are the 3 forms? Which is safest?

Answer 16

Fire retardant but banned in 1999
Its safe unless disturbed
Brown, white and blue are the 3 forms with White being the safest

Question 17

What is the relationship between lung cancer and smoking and asbestos exposure?

Answer 17

Synergistic effect. The risk of developing developing lung cancer is multiplied when exposure to asbestos and smoking is present- not addative

Question 18

What are the most common exposures to asbestos?

Answer 18

Mining, ship building and construction

Question 19

Asbestos may be banned in the UK but is still used in the developing world. True or false?

Answer 19

True

Question 20

What are some indoor environmental causes of lung disease?

Answer 20

Asbestos, mould, cooking smoke, passive smoking, nano particles

Question 21

What are some outdoor environmental causes of lung disease?

Answer 21

Air/traffic pollution

Question 22

What percentage of UK houses are graded of a poor standard?

Answer 22

10%

Damp and cold = mould

Question 23

Does mould exposure in the home increase childhood asthma admissions?

Answer 23

Yes by 26%

Question 24

What is fuel poverty?

Answer 24

The inability to afford to keep your home adequately heated. In rural areas of scotland, 51% are in fuel poverty

Question 25

What are the risk factors for over crowding and why is it common in Perth and Kinross?

Answer 25

Poverty and ethnic minorities are risk factors

Many in perth due to eastern European fruit pickers

Question 26

What can be used as a measure of passive smoking

Answer 26

Cotinine

Question 27

What are the main components of photochemical smog and what is the cuase?

Answer 27

Ozone, Nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic compounds
Cause = incomplete combustion of fossil fuels

Question 28

What are the components of old London smog and what was the cause?

Answer 28

Fly ash, sulphur dioxide, sodium chloride, calcium sulphate particles
Caused by coal fires and coal used in industry
Seen in China nowadays

Question 29

What are the most common hazardous chemicals in the environment?

Answer 29

Sulphur dioxide, Carbon monoxide, ozone, volatile organic compounds, lead and heavy metals, nitrous oxides, persistent organic compounds (POPs), Particular matter (PM10, PM2.5 PM1), Benzene

Question 30

What are the effects of pollution exposure on the lungs?

Answer 30

Reduced lung growth in adolescents
Increased incidence of asthma and COPD
Increased rates of respiratory symptoms

Question 31

What are the effects of pollution exposure outside of the lungs on peoples health?

Answer 31

Low birth weight, appendicitis, stroke, neurological disease, cognitive decline, depression and suicide

Question 32

What are dioxins?

Answer 32

A specific type of toxins found in air and food. Subset of persistent organic compounds-POPs

Question 33

What are the concerns with dioxins?

Answer 33

Bioaccumulate in both animals and people
Associated with reproductive and immunological problems.
Exposure is decreasing but worse in cities

Question 34

What is environmental injustice?

Answer 34

Systematically disadvantaging people who are already disadvantaged
eg. being poor means you are more likely to live near tobacco shops or water scarcity

Question 35

What is the only infectious agent directly causing environmental lung disease?

Answer 35

Legionella

Question 36

What 2 infections are notifiable to public health?

Answer 36

Legionella and TB

Question 37

What are the harmful consequences of exposure to lead and when was lead banned from petrol?

Answer 37

Anaemia, hypertention, brain and kidney damage, neurological disorders, cancer and lower IQ
1996 leaded petrol was made illegal