Infectious disease risk in asbestos abatement workers

Our plain-English summary of Infectious disease risk in asbestos abatement workers, by J.H. Lange, G. Mastrangelo, L. Cegolon (BMC Public Health, 2012).

The study

• Authors: J.H. Lange, G. Mastrangelo, L. Cegolon
• Journal: BMC Public Health
• Published: 2012;12:665
• Cited by: 3 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

Background: The current literature reports increased infectious disease occurrence in various construction occupations, as an important contributor to morbidity and mortality arising from employment.These observations should be expanded to asbestos abatement workers, as the abatement can create an environment favorable for bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

Discussion: Asbestos abatement work employs activities resulting in cuts, blisters and abrasions to the skin, work in a dirty environment and exposure to dust, mists and fumes.Furthermore, this population exhibits a high smoking rate which increases the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and respiratory infections.In addition, these workers also commonly employ respirators, which can accumulate dirt and debris magnifying exposure to microbes. Use of respirators and related types of personal protective equipment, especially if shared and in the close environment experienced by workers, may enhance communicability of these agents, including viruses.

Summary: Abatement workers need to be provided with information on hazards and targeted by appropriate health education to reduce the infection risk. Epidemiological studies to investigate this risk in asbestos removers are recommended.

In plain English

This was a debate (opinion) article, not a research study. The authors collected no new data. They argued that infectious disease risk, already reported in other construction jobs, should also be considered for asbestos abatement workers. They noted that abatement work involves cuts, blisters and abrasions to the skin, a dirty work environment, and exposure to dust, mists and fumes. They also argued that respirators can collect dirt and debris. In their view, respirators and other protective equipment, especially if shared and used in close quarters, may help spread infections, including viruses. The authors reported that a PubMed search combining asbestos abatement or asbestos workers with infections or infectious disease found no actual citations, apart from one on fungal exposure during abatement. The authors concluded that this group appears to be at increased risk for various infectious diseases, including those of the lungs. They called for an evaluation of how often infectious disease occurs in these workers. They also said workers should be given information on hazards and health education to reduce infection risk.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Debate (opinion) article presenting an argument; no new data were collected
• Who was studied: No study population; the article discusses asbestos abatement workers in general
• Exposure: Work conditions in asbestos abatement: cuts, blisters and skin abrasions, a dirty environment, and exposure to dust, mists and fumes; also respirator use. No specific asbestos fiber types are named.
• Main results:
  • A PubMed search by the authors, combining asbestos abatement or asbestos workers with infections or infectious disease, found no actual citations, except one related to fungal exposure during abatement
  • The authors argued, without new data, that respirators and other protective equipment, especially if shared and used in close conditions, may increase the spread of infectious agents, including viruses
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that asbestos abatement workers appear to be at increased risk for various infectious diseases, including lung-related ones. They recommended evaluating how often infectious disease occurs in this population, and providing workers with hazard information and health education to reduce infection risk.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Construction.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Abatement, Respirator.

Related studies

• Chronic obstructive lung diseases and risk of non-small cell lung cancer in women — A.G. Schwartz, M.L. Cote, et al. (2009)
• Electronic Nose Technology in Respiratory Diseases — S. Dragonieri, G. Pennazza, et al. (2017)
• Occupational risk factors for chronic respiratory disease in a New Zealand population using lifetime occupational history — A. Hansell, R.E. Ghosh, et al. (2014)
• The risk of lung cancer after cessation of asbestos exposure in construction workers using pleural malignant mesothelioma as a marker of exposure — B. Järvholm, E. Aström (2014)
• Lung cancer risk among workers in the construction industry: results from two case-control studies in Montreal — A. Lacourt, J. Pintos, et al. (2015)
• Mesothelioma Risk among Construction Workers According to Job Title: Data from the Italian Mesothelioma Register — L. Vimercati, D. Cavone, et al. (2023)

Browse more research in BMC Public Health, or return to medical research.