Chronic Beryllium Disease

Nursing Study #10

Beryllium disease is a condition that can occur from exposure to beryllium dust or fumes. Learn more about beryllium disease including what causes it; how it happens; its symptoms; and how the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT) is used to help diagnose it.

What is chronic beryllium disease?

Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) is a lung condition that can develop after a person breathes beryllium dust or fumes. The immune system sees beryllium as a “foreign invader,” and builds an “army” of cells in the bloodstream that are prepared to react to beryllium wherever they see it in the body. When an individual is diagnosed with CBD, it generally means the battle between the immune system and the beryllium particles has resulted in scarring (called granulomas) in the lungs.

What are the symptoms of chronic beryllium disease (CBD)?

Individuals with CBD may not have any symptoms at first, especially if the disease is diagnosed at an early stage. Patients may notice shortness of breath with walking, climbing stairs, or another activity, as well as a dry cough that will not go away. Some people may also experience fatigue, night sweats, chest and joint pain, and loss of appetite as the disease progresses.

What can I do to prevent beryllium sensitization and CBD?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for beryllium at 2 micrograms per cubic meter in an 8-hour period. This is roughly equivalent to an amount of beryllium dust the size of a pencil tip spread across an area the length of a football field, 8 feet high. This standard has been shown to be inadequate to prevent beryllium sensitization and CBD ^5,7,8, and many in the beryllium community and at OSHA are currently working to establish a lower limit in the workplace. Because we do not know of a definite “safe” level of exposure below which sensitization and disease do not occur, it is important to limit beryllium exposure to the lowest level possible. In the workplace, you should substitute another product for beryllium if at all possible, avoid dry sweeping of work areas, use proper exhaust ventilation and equipment, minimize the number of individuals who have access to areas where beryllium is used, ensure respirators fit properly and are used appropriately, change clothes before leaving the beryllium area and work facility, and ensure employees receive regular training on the proper handling of beryllium, as well as the hazards of beryllium exposure.

Source:
http://www.nationaljewish.org/disease-info/diseases/occ-med/beryllium/about/sensitization/about.aspx#what