Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) Certification Practice Exam

Which type of scarring is most commonly found in workers exposed to asbestos?

1. Pleural Plaques

2. Pleural Thickening

3. Asbestosis

4. Asbestos Warts

The correct answer is: Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a type of lung scarring that occurs due to prolonged exposure to asbestos fibers. It is characterized by the development of fibrosis in lung tissue, leading to a progressive decline in lung function. Workers who have been exposed to asbestos often experience this condition as a cumulative effect of inhaling asbestos dust over time. The individual fibers cause irritation and inflammation, which eventually leads to scarring of lung tissue. While other conditions related to asbestos exposure, such as pleural plaques and pleural thickening, also involve changes to lung and pleural tissues, they typically do not lead to the same degree of lung impairment that asbestosis does. Pleural plaques are usually benign calcified structures found on the pleura, and pleural thickening indicates a change in thickness of the pleura but does not involve the lung parenchyma itself. Asbestos warts are non-cancerous growths on the skin caused by asbestos exposure and do not pertain to lung scarring. Given the context of occupational exposure and its associated health outcomes, asbestosis is the most significant concern in terms of pulmonary effect, making it the correct answer in this scenario.