Mesothelioma, the deadly disease which has topped news headlines
for the last decade, is contracted through exposure to airborne
fibers of asbestos. Sadly, the under-regulation of asbestos
usage in years past, and arguably still today, exposed millions
to airborne fibers and as a result thousands contracted the
disease.
It can be safely said that almost everyone in the world has been
exposed to asbestos in varying degrees. Because of the unique
nature of the disease, even those who have suffered only minimal
exposure are at risk of contracting the disease. In effect,
virtually everyone has some risk of contracting Mesothelioma.
But this sort of statement perhaps oversteps the bounds of
rationality. While it is certainly true that individuals who
have been exposed to small amounts of asbestos for relatively
short periods of time have contracted the disease, this is a
rarity rather than a regularity. In fact, the vast majority of
Mesothelioma cases involve individuals who were exposed to
airborne asbestos fibers for intense and extended periods of
time.
The industries most in danger of prolonged exposure and thus of
contraction are shipbuilding trades, asbestos mining and
milling, textile manufacturing, insulation work in construction,
and brake repair personnel. There are, however, some other minor
factors which can affect the likelihood of contracting the
disease. Among these is radiation exposure. There have been
causes in which individuals who were exposed to radiation have
subsequently displayed signs of and ultimately contracted
mesothelioma. However, empirical studies to attempt to verify
this correlation have not proven out this claim very strongly.
Another more certain cause of the disease was the taking of the
Polio vaccine between 1955 and 1963. Some batches of this
vaccine were contaminated with Simian Virus 40 which has been
detected in a host of rare cancers including Mesothelioma.
Those involved in construction or who lived in homes in the
Cappadocian region of Turkey are also particularly at risk. In
this region, homebuilders used Erionite, which is a type of
zeolite silica stone. Exposure to the fibrous strands of this
building material have led to an annual death rate of roughly 1%
of the population which dies of mesothelioma each year in
Turkey.
One of the most influential factors affecting Mesothelioma
contraction is genetics. Some individuals who have been exposed
to long periods and high quantities of asbestos have not
contracted the disease. As a result, doctors have concluded that
genetics play a major role in determining whether or not
patients contract the disease. Unfortunately, the gene
variability which offers some resistance to the disease also
means that some are particularly vulnerable to asbestos
exposure.
About the author:
Robert Linebaugh writes about
mesothelioma issues.
