[Occupationally-induced pneumopathies].

Today chronic obstructive airways diseases rank amongst the most important occupational pneumopathies in Switzerland. As far as asthma is concerned, the baker's (flour) and the spray painter's (Isocyanates) types are the most important. Despite their frequent occurrence the two forms of asthma seem to differ in their pathogenetic mechanisms. Due to technical precautions another type of occupational pneumopathology namely pneumoconiosis was considerably reduced. Among asbestos induced diseases the cases of asbestosis are decreasing. However, there still are quite a lot of events of malignant mesotheliomas actually heading the list of occupational malignomas. The most numerous asbestos induced disturbances, however, are pleural plaques which seem to be of no considerable importance. Another group of occupational lung disorders is that of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis), among which the "farmer's lung" and in more industrial settings the "humidifier lung" are most frequently seen. For the diagnosis and evaluation of occupational pneumopathies work related symptoms and individual work place exposure are of decisive importance.