Are welders more at risk of respiratory infections?

Abstract

Inhalation of metal fume from welding is known to produce a reversible increase in susceptibility to infectious lobar pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and possibly other microorganisms. However, the mechanism underlying the hazard is uncertain, as is the relationship of risk to level of exposure. A new study at a shipyard in the Middle East suggests that welders also have higher rates of respiratory infections than other manual occupations. If confirmed, this finding could lead to a better understanding of pathogenesis, and possibly the development of biomarkers that could be used to elucidate exposure-response relationships. This in turn could guide limits on levels of exposure.