The symptoms of beryllium oxide exposure are irritation of your eyes, skin and your respiratory tract.
Long term exposure to beryllium oxide or beryllium can also result in chronic beryllium disease and or berylliosis which is a severe lung disease that causes coughing, shortness of breath, weight loss, fatigue, fever and chest pain.
In some cases, skin or eye irritation may also occur with chronic exposure to beryllium oxide.
Short term exposure symptoms to beryllium oxide are redness, itching, burning and swelling of the eyes, irritation and skin burns and even irritation of your nose and throat, coughing and tightness in your chest.
Long term exposure symptoms to beryllium oxide are a persistent, dry cough, and an increase in shortness of breath, fatigue, unexplained weight loss and fever, chest pain and possible night sweats.
Long term exposure to beryllium oxide can also affect other organs in the body, and can lead to enlarged lymph nodes, enlarged liver and enlarged spleen and sometimes heart strain.
The symptoms of chronic berylliosis can develop months or even decades later after initial exposure to beryllium oxide.
The common health effect that is caused by beryllium is Chronic Beryllium Disease, which is a permanent lung condition that is caused by an immune response and even possible lung cancer as beryllium is considered a human carcinogen.
Other health effects of beryllium is acute beryllium disease such as chemical pneumonia from high, short term exposure, ulcers from direct contact with skin and skin rashes and beryllium sensitization, in which your body's immune system becomes hypersensitive to the substance, which increases your risk of developing chronic beryllium disease.
Beryllium is cancerous and is classified as a human carcinogen.
Both the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research and Cancer have listed beryllium as a known human carcinogen.
Inhaling of beryllium increases a persons risk of lung cancer significantly, especially in occupational settings that are high exposure to beryllium.
The way you get exposed to beryllium is through inhalation of beryllium dust or fumes in the workplace which then triggers an immune response in the body, which results in lung scarring and lung inflammation.
Chronic beryllium disease is caused by the inhalation of beryllium dust or fumes, which then triggers an abnormal immune response in susceptible people, which leads to lung inflammation and lung scarring.
Although exposure to beryllium is the main trigger for chronic beryllium disease, not everyone that is exposed to beryllium will get the chronic beryllium disease.
Only people that have become sensitized to beryllium will develop chronic beryllium disease.
Also genetic factors like a mutation in your HLA-DPB1 gene can also increase your risk of developing beryllium sensitization and subsequently chronic beryllium disease.
CBD or chronic beryllium disease is a systemic disorder, although it can also involve your lymph nodes, your skin, your spleen, your liver, your kidneys and your heart, although your lungs are the main target organs of chronic beryllium disease.
Chronic beryllium disease in the lungs is a long term lung disease which is caused by the inhalation of beryllium dust or fumes.
Chronic beryllium disease also called CBD disease is a reaction of your immune system to beryllium, which leads to inflammation and scarring or fibrosis in your lungs.
Symptoms of chronic beryllium disease can appear within months after exposure or even years after exposure to the beryllium.
Symptoms of chronic beryllium disease include weight loss and fever, fatigue, shortness of breath and a cough that is persistent.
Treatment for chronic beryllium disease includes the use of corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and oxygen therapy to help improve your breathing, although irreversible lung damage can still occur.
In CBD or chronic beryllium disease, when a person inhales beryllium particles, the person's immune system can become sensitized.
The sensitization then leads to the formation of granulomas, which are clumps of inflammatory cells in your lungs.
The granulomas cause chronic inflammation and then over time, they can lead to scarring and fibrosis of the lungs which is irreversible.
This makes it difficult for your lungs to get the needed oxygen to the bloodstream.
Chronic beryllium disease mainly affects people that are exposed to beryllium in the workplace, which use the metal like in mining, manufacturing and aerospace.
Diagnosis for chronic beryllium disease involves a history of beryllium exposure, characteristic clinical findings and lab tests, such as the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test.
No cure is available for chronic beryllium disease, but treatments can help manage the symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Oxygen therapy for breathing difficulties is an option for treatment as well as corticosteroids for reducing inflammation.