Inhalation of cotton fibres dust over long periods of time results in?

Appeared in: Daman & Diu Staff Nurse - 2018

Explanation

Byssinosis is an occupational lung disease specifically caused by the long-term inhalation of dust from cotton, flax, or hemp.
It is most commonly found among workers in the textile industry.
The condition is often referred to as 'brown lung disease' or 'Monday fever' because symptoms like chest tightness and breathlessness are most severe at the beginning of the work week and lessen over the following days.

Option A: Siderosis is caused by the inhalation of iron oxide dust, not cotton dust.
Option C: Anthracosis, also known as 'black lung disease', is caused by the inhalation of coal dust.
Option D: Bagassosis is caused by inhaling dust from moldy sugarcane fiber, which is called bagasse.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Occupational Lung Diseases (Pneumoconiosis) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Taking a detailed occupational history is crucial for any patient presenting with chronic respiratory symptoms to identify potential workplace exposures.
Nurses play a key role in educating workers in high-risk industries about using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as masks, to prevent the inhalation of harmful dusts.
What if? If the patient reported working in a sugarcane processing plant instead of a textile mill, the most likely diagnosis would be Bagassosis, not Byssinosis.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question. First, identify the key phrase in the question stem: 'inhalation of cotton fibres dust'.
Next, systematically review the options, recalling the specific cause for each occupational disease.
Byssinosis is the disease directly linked to cotton dust.
Eliminate the other options by matching them to their known causes: Siderosis is from iron dust, Anthracosis is from coal dust, and Bagassosis is from sugarcane dust.
Select the option that correctly matches the causative agent mentioned in the question.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Q5LjxMkJJyIEnAkQJbOPJa

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart B (pp 233-449 of 464) p. 123-125

E6 Pathology-Textbook of PATHOLOGYHarsh Mohan Part 2 (215-514) p. 61-63

Practise the full Daman & Diu Staff Nurse - 2018

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.