有硅化可以治愈吗？在使用工程石头时，成千上万的工人可能会暴露于危险的二氧化硅颗粒中，这是一个问题，在许多澳大利亚人的心中都很重。副教授简·伯克（Jane Bourke）Biomedicine Discovery Instituteat Monash University and her team, including researcher Dr Paris Papagianis, are working to better understand silicosis. “Historically, silicosis caused by sandblasting, tunneling, quarrying and mining dates back to the 1900s,” they explain. “The number of silicosis cases in the Australian community is due to the increasing use of engineered stone in home renovations over the last 20 years. We know that the risk of silicosis is particularly high with this product due to its high silica content and unsafe work practices that have exposed workers to dangerous levels of dust.” Here, Associate Professor Bourke and Dr Papagianis share their insights, advice on testing, early diagnosis and what hope there is for a cure of this devastating lung disease.
什么是硅化作用？
硅化是一种影响石术，矿工和隧道的职业肺部疾病。当这些工人切割，粉碎，钻或载有二氧化硅的材料（例如工程石凳）或天然砂岩时，这会产生如此小的结晶二氧化硅粉尘颗粒，它们在肺部深处寄宿，并在肺部深处引起炎症和不可逆的疤痕肺。
What are the symptoms of silicosis?
The most common symptoms are shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and persistent cough. Depending on disease severity, individuals may also feel fatigued or weak.
What should I do if I’m worried about having silicosis?
You can ask your local GP or lung doctor for testing if you are working as or have worked as a stonemason, particularly if you have worked with engineered stone containing high silica content. The lung doctor may ask you to perform a questionnaire about your level of potential exposure, lung function tests and an X-ray or High Resolution CT (HRCT) scan of your lungs.
谁最容易患硅氧症的风险？
Workers who are exposed to high amounts of inhalable silica dust over prolonged periods are at risk of silicosis. The highest risk occupations are in workplaces such as engineered stone manufacturing, tunnelling, quarrying, mining, construction, ceramics, brick making or paving/surfacing. There are approximately 600,000 Australian workers currently exposed to silica dust, including about 4400 stonemasons.
如果硅氧症与工程式石椅顶部有关，那么如果您的家中有一个风险？
不。工程石以固体形式并已经安装在房屋中时并不危险。工程石仅在被切割，抛光或压碎时才危险，因为这会产生可呼吸到肺部的灰尘颗粒。在翻新期间将其去除时，应特别注意，以避免产生二氧化硅灰尘。
像石棉一样有硅氧化症吗？
In some ways silicosis is like asbestosis. Both are caused by inhalation of harmful particles and the symptoms are also similar, with scarring of the lungs leading to breathing difficulties. However, unlike asbestosis, silicosis can develop in just two to five years after exposure to dust, whereas asbestos typically develops over decades.
二氧化硅暴露会引起皮层瘤，例如石棉病吗？
No. Silicosis increases the risk of developing lung cancer but does not cause mesothelioma, which is a rare and aggressive type of cancer that affects the cell layer around many organs including the lung.
How many Australians are experiencing silicosis?
澳大利亚的第一个报道的石材引起的石材引起的石材引起的硅氧化症的病例是2015年。截至2023年2月，我们知道，昆士兰州，新南威尔士州和维多利亚州的600多名工人患有硅氧化疾病，但这可能是对实际病例数的低估在社区。基于已经暴露的澳大利亚工人总数，预计将有100,000多人患有硅化作用。其中，有10,000多个将发展肺癌。
How can Australia eradicate silicosis?
While we know that silicosis is incurable, it is preventable. Banning engineered stone, made up of 95 per cent silica, would reduce worker exposure in that one industry, and alternative safer materials could be used for kitchen bench tops. However, stonemasonry is not the only high-risk occupation for developing silicosis. Silica is also found in sand, stone, concrete and mortar, so it is critical that workers in quarries, mines and tunnels are also protected from the dust generated from these other materials and have their health monitored regularly.
如何诊断硅氧化症？谁应该要求测试？
重要的是，当前或以前从事二氧化硅灰尘曝光的高风险行业工作的任何人都可以定期检查其肺部健康。一些工作场所将监视他们的员工，但重要的是，工人也让他们的全科医生知道他们的职业历史，即使他们没有症状。
Diagnosis is based on three main steps:
1）一项调查，以解决可能的二氧化硅灰尘暴露水平
2) a lung function test at a hospital
3）肺的X射线或HRCT扫描
If you have been exposed to silica dust, have reduced lung function for your age and have signs of scarring or injury on your lung X-ray, you may be diagnosed with silicosis.
GP或肺部专家可以要求这些测试，但只能由专业的职业或呼吸医生进行。可以在澳大利亚皇家医师学院网站。
Why is early detection of silicosis important?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for silicosis. Detection of early signs of disease is critical, as it might then be possible to remove yourself from environments with harmful levels of silica dust. Preventing further exposure is the only way to reduce the risk of more lung damage.
How is silicosis treated?
硅化病的治疗基于一个人的病史和疾病阶段。与任何肺部疾病一样，停止吸烟和烟是必不可少的，以及疫苗接种以避免肺部感染可能会使症状恶化。必须与您的呼吸医生进行一项持续的管理计划，因为可能需要氧气。因为肺无法摆脱已经吸入的硅粉，所以将硅化作用作为最后的手段的唯一方法是肺移植。
人们能忍受硅化多长时间？
每个被诊断患有硅化作用的人对疾病的经历不同。这可能是由于多种因素，包括一般荒地，吸烟史和暴露水平。有些硅化病的人显示肺功能迅速下降，这限制了他们的日常活动并可能引起早期死亡。有些会因硅氧症而发展其他疾病，例如肺癌。其他患有轻度疾病的人可能会保持稳定，症状很少，并且在多年来继续工作并保持良好的生活质量。