Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD) is a disease that primarily affects the lungs, causing granulomatous inflammation and sometimes scarring. CBD is immune-mediated, meaning that CBD can develop only in individuals who have developed an immune response or "allergy" to the metal beryllium, termed beryllium sensitization (BeS). BeS occurs after a person with host susceptibility, such as the genetic factor HLA-DPB Glu69 allele, breathes beryllium dust or fumes, and possibly if beryllium penetrates the skin through an open cut or from a beryllium splinter.
In individuals with BeS, the immune system recognizes beryllium as foreign. Immune cells that react to beryllium can be identified in the blood using a blood test called the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT). As opposed to environmental allergies, such as pollen or ragweed, individuals with BeS do not have any immediate symptoms when they are exposed to beryllium. In fact, BeS causes no symptoms at all.
CBD is characterized by progressive shortness of breath with exertion, profound fatigue and sweats at night. Because these symptoms, breathing test abnormalities, and findings on chest radiograph and CT scan overlap with a number of other disease processes, the diagnosis of CBD is confirmed through special lung testing, called diagnostic bronchoscopy.
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