Iraq War Service: A Risk Factor For Bronchiolitis?
Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 08:28
in Health & Medicine
A large group of soldiers returning from Iraq have been diagnosed with bronchiolitis, a disease affecting the small airways of the lung. A total of 56 soldiers from Fort Campbell, Kentucky were evaluated for unexplained shortness of breath on exertion. Surgical lung biopsies were performed on 31 of the soldiers referred, with 29 having bronchiolitis. Most of those diagnosed with bronchiolitis had a prolonged exposure to sulfur dioxide from a sulfur mine fire near Mosul, Iraq in 2003, however, several had no known specific exposures.