Fedesmar

Silicosis is one of the oldest known occupational diseases worldwide and is caused by the inhalation of respirable crystalline silica (Stacey P. 2005).
Silicosis is an occupational disease of worldwide distribution, which affects the lungs. It belongs to the pneumoconiosis group. It is incurable, disabling and often fatal. It is caused by continued contact by inhaling a dust containing small particles of a hard material called silica.
Silicosis is a commonly known health risk, which has historically been associated with the inhalation of silica-containing dust (Fubini 1998).
Breathing in particles that contain silica can also be the cause of other diseases such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, lung cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Silicosis is one of the most common types of pneumoconiosis. It is a progressive nodular fibrosis caused by the deposition of respirable particles of crystalline silica in the lungs. The resulting fibrosis in the innermost part of the lungs can lead to breathing difficulties and, in some cases, death.