Israel journal of medical sciences
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Review
Occupational and environmental exposures and nonspecific lung disease--a review of selected studies.
Selected studies show that nonspecific lung diseases are a major occupational and environmental health hazard. Exposure to mineral dusts (such as cement and brown coal) and organic dusts (cotton, hemp and flour) as well as manganese and gaseous irritants causes significant upper respiratory tract injury. ⋯ Interpretation of the results is difficult due to uncontrolled confounding. Measures for preventing lung impairments include exposure reduction and preemployment examination of workers.