Internal Medicine, Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital, Mbeya, Tanzania, United Republic of
Internal Medicine, University of Dar es Salaam Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences, Mbeya, Tanzania, United Republic of.
BMJ Case Rep. 2024 Jun 24;17(6):e260481. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2024-260481.
This case series sheds light on the pulmonary diseases afflicting artisanal gold miners in Chunya district, Mbeya, Tanzania. We present 3 cases from a group of 21 miners. The patients, ranging in age and mining exposure, exhibited symptoms of severe pulmonary conditions, including pneumoconiosis, pulmonary hypertension and Cor pulmonale, attributed to prolonged exposure to dust and inadequate protective measures in mining environments. These cases underscore the urgent need for enhanced occupational health standards and preventive strategies in artisanal mining communities.
本病例系列揭示了坦桑尼亚姆贝亚省春亚地区手工采金矿工所患肺部疾病的情况。我们从 21 名矿工中介绍了 3 例。这些患者年龄和采矿暴露程度不同,表现出严重肺部疾病的症状,包括尘肺、肺动脉高压和肺心病,这归因于在采矿环境中长时间暴露于粉尘和缺乏适当的保护措施。这些病例突显了在手工采矿社区加强职业健康标准和预防策略的迫切需要。