ABSTRACT
Occupational lung disease or ‘‘Miner’s phthisis’’ has been recognized for more than 2000 years (1). The distinction between noninfectious and infectious causes was not made until the early 20th century, however, when a worldwide epidemic of acute silicosis resulted from the invention of the pneumatic drill and focused attention on the hazards of dust exposure (2). Silicosis is one of a number of fibrotic lung diseases (pneumoconioses) that result from occupational dust exposure. All types of pneumoconiosis carry an increased susceptibility to mycobacterial disease, but the excess risk is small for all except silicosis, which is a potent risk factor for both tuberculosis (TB) and nontuberculous mycobacterial disease and is the main focus of this chapter (1-10).
