Early detection of occupational diseases

Many occupational diseases are severe and disabling if they are not detected and treated early in their course. Although they may appear to occur less frequently than other major disabling diseases, there is evidence that they affect a considerable number of people, particularly in rapidly industrializing countries. This book is intended to serve as a guide to the early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of occupational diseases. The first part of the book deals with the principles of early detection and the second describes various occupational diseases and approaches to their early detection and control. The physiology of the body systems affected by these diseases and the clinical and laboratory tests for their early detection are discussed in the third part. The final part presents biological and environmental methods for the assessment of exposure to occupational hazards. Although this book is addressed mainly to health professionals at various levels responsible for occupational health, it should in addition prove useful to medical students, workers representatives, and managers responsible for safety at work.