Hard Metal Lung Disease and Other Rare Occupational Lung Diseases

Occupational lung diseases represent a frequently diagnosed work-related condition. Silicosis, asbestos-related lung diseases, and coal-workers pneumoconiosis represent the most common occupational lung diseases and fall within the spectrum of mineral pneumoconiosis. Several rare occupational lung diseases are associated with exposures to different metals, including hard metal lung disease, siderosis, talcosis, and berylliosis. Other rare pneumoconioses include hypersensitivity pneumonitis secondary to inhalation of organic antigens. Furthermore, newer occupational lung diseases recently described include Flock-worker's lung, flavor-worker's lung, indium-tin oxide lung disease, and bronchiolitis obliterans in military personnel previously deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Although the focus of this chapter will be mainly on hard metal lung disease, a brief overview of the forementioned other rare occupational lung diseases will also be discussed. Treatment of most occupational lung diseases involves cessation of exposure and lung transplantation in severe diseases and significant respiratory impairment.