BERYLLIOSIS

Course overview

BERYLLIOSIS, ALSO KNOWN AS CHRONIC BERYLLIUM DISEASE (CBD), IS A GRANULOMATOUS DISEASE CAUSED BY EXPOSURE TO BERYLLIUM. CBD HAS A VARIABLE CLINICAL COURSE WITH COUGH, FEVER, NIGHT SWEATS, AND FATIGUE BEING THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS. THE DEFINITIVE DIAGNOSIS OF BERYLLIOSIS IS BASED ON OCCUPATIONAL HISTORY, POSITIVE BLOOD OR BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE (BAL) BERYLLIUM LYMPHOCYTE PROLIFERATION TEST (BELPT), AND GRANULOMATOUS INFLAMMATION ON LUNG BIOPSY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF BERYLLIOSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.