Autoimmune Disease Linked to Asbestos
Article Added September 3rd, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story
Libby residents are shedding light on a new side effect of asbestos exposure. It has been found that people repeatedly exposed to asbestos show an increased risk of autoimmune disorders.
An article in a health journal has revealed that asbestos exposure may lead to an increased risk of autoimmune diseases. The study, conducted on Libby residents, linked repeated asbestos exposure to three different autoimmune diseases: lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and sleroderma. Of the 7300 residents affected by asbestos exposure in the town, almost 500 of them had one or more of the diseases after exposure. Normally, only 70 or so people in a group that large should have reported suffering from one of the three diseases.
Libby was the site of asbestos mining from the 1920’s through 1990, when the problem was identified. Links have been established between silica exposure and autoimmune diseases, but the Libby study was conducted due to the fact that nearly all people living in the town were affected by asbestos exposure and the same link was expected between asbestos and autoimmune diseases. The report stated that the link between asbestos and autoimmune diseases should be researched further.
Article Added September 3rd, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story
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