ABSTRACT
Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) is a granulomatous lung disease caused by delayed-type hypersensitivity to beryllium (Saltini et al., 1989). It is distinguished from sarcoidosis by the demonstration of beryllium sensitization (BeS), a beryllium-specic, cell-mediated immune response identied typically via a blood test, the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT) (Jones-Williams and Williams, 1983; Newman, 1996; Martin et al., 2011). This chapter will describe CBD and granulomatous diseases resulting from exposure to other selected metals, as well as World Trade Center (WTC) disaster inhalants. In addition, the occupational and environmental exposures associated with sarcoidosis, a granulomatous disease of unknown aetiology, will be reviewed.
