Beryllium disease is a result of exposure to dust or fumes from beryllium metal, metal oxides, alloys, ceramics, or salts. Workers in some beryllium producing facilities have had an increased rate of lung cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently classified beryllium as a human carcinogen. Once you have been exposed to beryllium there is a lifelong risk of developing beryllium disease. There are two types of beryllium disease: Acute Beryllium Disease (ABD) and Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD).Acute beryllium disease (ABD) is caused by breathing in relatively high concentrations of beryllium in dust and metal fumes. It usually has a quick onset and resembles pneumonia or bronchitis. ABD is now rare due to improved industrial protective measures, which have been designed to reduce beryllium exposure levels.
Acute Beryllium Disease may take several forms depending on the type of exposure. The following symptoms appear on the exposed areas of the body, especially the arms, face, hands, and neck.
- Nasopharyngitis is an inflammation of the nose and throat. Symptoms include pain and swelling. Signs include bleeding of the nose. This condition clears up three to six weeks after exposure ends.
- Tracheobronchitis is an inflammation of the windpipe and the airways beyond it. Symptoms are coughing, discomfort, and tightness of the chest. Recovery takes about one month.
- Pneumonitis is an inflammation of the lungs confined to the walls of the air sacs.
- Pneumonitis is the most serious of the acute effects from beryllium exposure. It varies in severity and can result in death; however, fatal cases are rare and recovery is usually complete in about six months. Symptoms are appetite and weight loss, breathing difficulties, coughing, tightness of the chest, and general weakness and tiredness.
According to the United States Beryllium Case Registry, established in 1952, about seventeen percent of patients with Acute Beryllium Disease later developed Chronic Beryllium Disease.
Chronic Beryllium Disease is an incurable lung disease caused by the inhalation of beryllium dust and fumes. CBD primarily affects the lungs, but it may also affect other organs because the blood transports beryllium throughout the body. It is believed that once in the body, beryllium combines with certain proteins, causing the release of toxic substances.
Symptoms of Chronic Beryllium Disease are breathing difficulties, chest pain, coughing, and general weakness. Signs include enlargement of the liver, spleen, and right heart, as well as the development of kidney stones. The course of CBD varies between individuals partially based on the level and duration of exposure to beryllium.
Some individuals develop an allergy to beryllium upon exposure, which makes them more likely to develop Chronic Beryllium Disease. Some people who are diagnosed with CBD do not develop clinical symptoms at all; however, the disease can lead to clinical symptoms that include scarring and damage of lung tissue, which causes shortness of breath, wheezing, and/or coughing. Severe cases of CBD can cause disability or death.The course of Chronic Beryllium Disease can range from a few years to decades. The use of steroids is often the primary way to control the progression of this disease, but some individuals may also require supplemental oxygen, or even a lung transplant as a last alternative.
Chronic Beryllium Disease can develop as late as thirty years after a person was last exposed to beryllium, though the average latency period is about eight to ten years. In some people, the disease progresses slowly, but in others it may cause respiratory problems much more rapidly.If you have ever been exposed to beryllium and have developed an unexplained cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, or a skin rash, you should inform your doctor of your past beryllium exposure and seek medical advice about your condition.