It’s widely reported that asbestos is the number one cause of mesothelioma in the western world, but there are other possible causes of the chronic lung disease. Because it can take more than 50 years for the symptoms of mesothelioma to present themselves, it is likely that more and more people will continue to be affected by this terrible disease.
Most mesothelioma cases in China are not linked to asbestos.
It’s estimated that up to 30 million people worldwide could be at risk of contracting mesothelioma through a contaminated batch of polio vaccines that were administered between 1955 and 1963. The vaccines were contaminated with the simian virus 40 (SV40), a virus which when injected into animal models led to some contracting mesothelioma. In addition, the SV40 virus has been found post-mortem in some mesothelioma patients.
In the 1950s, x-rays for body cavities and blood vessels were conducted using injections of thorium dioxide. This radioactive substance is now known to cause cancer and may be the root of many mesothelioma cases over the next few years.
Zeolites are a family of over 50 different materials that have a very close composition to asbestos and may also cause mesothelioma. The mineral is usually found in volcanic areas around the world. In the United States, it can be found in a variety of everyday products such as purifiers, absorbents, detergents and most commonly animal feed. One particular type of zeolite called erionite has been linked to mesothelioma. In a particular area of Turkey where the mineral is extensively mined, almost 45 percent of people who came into contact with erionite have died from pleural mesothelioma. (Source: Mesothelioma.com)
Asbestos continues to be a world problem. Find out more.
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