Question
What types of lung diseases develop due to environmental pollution?
Answer
Exposure to environmental pollution can lead to various types of lung diseases, including:
- Asthma: Environmental pollutants such as particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen oxides can trigger asthma symptoms and exacerbations.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): Long-term exposure to pollutants such as cigarette smoke, biomass fuel smoke, and air pollution can lead to COPD, which is characterized by chronic inflammation and progressive lung function decline.
- Lung cancer: Exposure to air pollutants such as radon, benzene, and diesel exhaust can increase the risk of developing lung cancer.
- Pulmonary fibrosis: Exposure to environmental pollutants such as asbestos and silica can lead to pulmonary fibrosis, which is characterized by scarring of the lung tissue and impaired lung function.
- Respiratory infections: Exposure to pollutants can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of respiratory infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
