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Document ID (ISN)102211
CIS number 03-1185
ISSN - Serial title 1250-3274 - Archives des maladies professionnelles et de médecine du travail
Year 2002
Convention or series no.
Author(s) Wognin S.B., Infante-Rivard C., Yeboue-Kouame B.Y., N'Gbesso R., Ostiguy D., Bonny J.S., Tuo N., Kouassi Y.M.
Title Study of the prevalence of silicosis among workers at a granite quarry in Abidjan
Original title Etude de la prévalence de la silicose chez les travailleurs d'une carrière de granit à Abidjan [in French]
Bibliographic information Feb. 2002, Vol.63, No.1, p.25-31. 28 ref.
Abstract In order to determine the prevalence of silicosis in the Ivory Coast and its possible repercussions on the respiratory functions, a cross-sectional study was carried out in one of the most important granite quarries of the country. The 126 current workers of the quarry were given a standardized questionnaire and subjected to chest X-ray examinations. Lung functions were tested in 29 non-smoker subjects without anterior thoracic disease. The analysis allowed to identify six cases of silicosis among the 126 workers, corresponding to a prevalence of 4.76%. The affected workers (average age 44) all worked in "crushing", where exposure levels are high. No differences were found in vital capacity between the workers and non-exposed controls selected among the general Ivory Coast population. The prevalence of silicosis appears much lower than that observed in most developing countries. However, the comparison should take into account parameters such as the dust content of free silica and methodologies applied in the definition of silicosis.
Descriptors (primary) granite; silicosis; frequency rates; quarrying industry; stone crushing
Descriptors (secondary) airborne dust; Côte d'Ivoire; silica; free silica; respirable dust; chest radiography; exposure evaluation; questionnaire survey; cross-sectional study; respiratory function tests; developing countries; vital capacity
Document type D - Periodical articles
Country / State or ProvinceCanada; Côte d'Ivoire
Subject(s) Mines and quarries
Broad subject area(s) Occupational medicine, epidemiology
Chemical safety
Browse category(ies) Mining and quarrying
Pneumoconioses