Why is asbestos dangerous?

Why is asbestos dangerous?

When asbestos is disturbed, it forms a dust made up of tiny fibres. This can easily be breathed in and cause serious health problems, notably:

• pleural plaque
• asbestosis
• diffuse pleural thickening
• benign pleural effusion
• lung cancer
• mesothelioma.

When asbestos is disturbed it sends out fibres into the air that can be inhaled by anyone nearby. Workers in mining and construction, plumbers, carpenters and auto mechanics have been at risk of exposure to asbestos.

It can also affect family members of workers who brought home asbestos fibres on their clothing and shoes from their work site.

It is not clear how asbestos fibres get into the peritoneal cavity. It is unlikely that they come through the wall of the gut. However, they may come in through the diaphragm. When asbestos fibres are taken into the body, cells react in an abnormal way. This may result in inflammation and scarring causing pleural plaque or diffuse pleural thickening. Or it may alter the DNA of the cells and result in the cells becoming malignant.