Peculiarities of acute pneumonia in persons working in contact with respiratory irritant chemicals

The morbidity and character of acute pneumonia are influenced by such factors as temperature fluctuations, dustiness of air, presence of harmful impurities in it, but information about the nature of this influence is rather contradictory. Some authors believe that contact with elevated concentrations of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, chromium and other irritants leads to an increased incidence of acute respiratory disease and pneumonia. Other researchers have shown that the incidence of acute pneumonia among workers in the chemical industry is lower than in the general adult population. The question about peculiarities of course and outcomes of acute pneumonia in persons working in contact with respiratory irritating chemicals remains practically unstudied. Meanwhile, such substances as chlorine, sulfur dioxide, ammonia, nitrogen oxides and others are widely used in chemical industry when performing various types of work.