Occupational Medicine

Question 1

What is a Occupational Health?

Answer 1

It’s the branch of medicine which is concerned with the study and prevention of health hazards which can arise from various exposures at work.

Question 2

What is an Occupational Disease?

Answer 2

It’s the disease that arises out of and during the course of employment and is due to a factor which is peculiar to that occupation.

Question 3

What is a work-related disease?

Answer 3

Certain occupations having high incidence of diseases which are not scheduled as occupational diseases.
they are multifactorial in origin and aggravated by work place exposure.

Question 4

What is the definition of Pneumoconiosis?

Answer 4

It’s the accumulation of dust in the lung and the tissue reaction to it’s presence.

Question 5

What is the definition of Collagenous Pneumoconiosis?

Answer 5

It’s a group of occupational lung disease with permanent alteration or destruction of the anatomic integrity of the air spaces with fibrosis.

Question 6

What is the definition of Non-Collagenous Pneumoconiosis?

Answer 6

It’s the group of Pneumoconiosis with intact anatomic integrity, and scar tissue are not formed, there are only leucocytic infiltration with reticulin formation and the lesion is still reversible.

Question 7

What is the definition of Silicosis?

Answer 7

It’s a nodular fibrosis of the lung due to inhalation of dust containing free silica particles.

Question 8

What is the Inflammatory Theory for the pathogenesis of Silicosis?

Answer 8

The deposited silica particles in alveolar spaces are engulfed by alveolar macrophages which then disrupted and releasing intracellular proteolytic enzymes which lead to inflammation and fibrosis.

Question 9

What is the definition of Coal Worker’s Pneumoconiosis?

Answer 9

It’s a parenchymal lung disease primarily caused by inhalation of coal dust.

Question 10

What is the definition of Siderosis ?

Answer 10

It’s a simple pneumoconiosis caused by the inhalation of dust or fumes containing iron or iron oxide particles,which produces a striking mottled appearance on chest x-ray.

Question 11

What is the definition Byssinosis?

Answer 11

It’s an occupational lung disease caused by exposure to cotton dust and flax. (asthma like manifestation).

Question 12

what do we mean by extrinsic allergic alveolitis ?

Answer 12

This term refers to hypersensitivity reaction affecting the lung parenchyma which occur in response to inhaled organic dust.

Question 13

What is a Farmer Lung ?

Answer 13

It’s an extrinsic allergic alveolitis due to antigen antibody reaction at the alveoli due to exposure to spores of the fungi found on the moldy hay.

Question 14

What is a Bagassosis ?

Answer 14

It’s an extrinsic allergic alveolitis due to exposure to spores of the fungi Thermoactinomyces sacchari found on the stored bagass in the wood and paper industry.

Question 15

What is a Bird Fancier’s lung ?

Answer 15

It’s an extrinsic allergic alveolitis caused by inhalation of dried serum proteins contained in bird’s faeces.

Question 16

What is an Occupational Asthma ?

Answer 16

It’s a reversible condition of airway obstruction as a consequence of workplace exposure.

Question 17

What is the clinical manifestation of inorganic Lead exposure ?

Answer 17

1- GIT = accumulation in gums causing metallic taste and abdominal colic,constipation and vomiting.
2- Hematologic effect=lead anemia.
3- neuromuscular= wrist drop.
4- CNS = encephalopathy and behavioral changes.
5- Renal effect= nephropathy and renal HTN.
6- Reproductive= spontaneous abortions.

Question 18

What is the clinical manifestation of organic Lead exposure?

Answer 18

It crosses the BBB so = 
1- Dizziness.
2- Hallucinations.
3- insomnia.
4- Psychosis.

Question 19

What is the clinical manifestation of Metallic Mercury exposure ?

Answer 19

1- Gingivitis + excess salivation + loss of teeth.
2- Neuropsychiatric changes = erethism and Tremors.
3- Renal damage = nephrotoxic.

Question 20

What is the clinical manifestation of Inorganic Mercury exposure ?

Answer 20

1- Acute Pneumonitis.
2- Proteinurea.
3- CNS disturbance.

Question 21

What is the clinical manifestation of Organic Mercury exposure ?

Answer 21

1- Dermatitis.
2- Tremor and disturbance of hand writing.
3- Visual field constriction.
4- Nephrotoxic effect= proteinuria + nephrotic syndrome.
5- sensorimotor changes = paraesthesia + alteration of taste and smell+ disturbed memory + spastic gait.

Question 22

What is a Minamata Disease?

Answer 22

It’s organic mercury poisoning caused by the release of methyl mercury in the industrial waste water from the chemical factory.

Question 23

What is the goal of OSHA?

Answer 23

To protect working men and women at their jobs.
The goal was to prevent Americans from serious injury or death in any occupational pursuits and to promote safer working conditions for all levels of employees.

Question 24

What is the goal of NIOSH?

Answer 24

This agency is responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness.

Question 25

What is the goal of WHO ?

Answer 25

The goal is to encourage governments and industries to find alternative products, pushing to make work places and worker safe from all toxic pollutants, particularly from carcinogens like Asbestos.

Question 26

What is the goal of EPA ?

Answer 26

This agency is charged with writing and enforcing regulations that protect human health and the environment in this country.

Question 27

what’s the definition of Noise ?

Answer 27

It’s the unwanted sound.

Question 28

What’s a heat rash “ Miliaria” ?

Answer 28

It’s caused by sweat retention due to obstruction of swaet gland duct.

Question 29

What is a Heat syncope ?

Answer 29

It’s a sudden, unconsciousness results from cutaneous vasodilatation with consequent systemic and cerebral hypotension.

Question 30

What’s a heat cramp?

Answer 30

It results from sodium depletion caused by profuse sweating and replacement of sweat losses with water alone.

Question 31

What’s the definition of heat stroke ?

Answer 31

It’s a life- threatening medical emergency due to thermal regulatory failure.