This monograph has been produced by staff of a National Poisons
Information Service Centre in the United Kingdom. The work was
commissioned and funded by the UK Departments of Health, and was
designed as a source of detailed information for use by poisons
information centres.
Peer review group: Directors of the UK National Poisons Information
Service.
Toxicity Summary Beryllium
The lung is the main target organ of beryllium toxicity.
Beryllium lung disease is classified as acute or chronic dependant on
the duration of disease rather than the duration of exposure. The
acute illness does not persist beyond one year.
Chronic beryllium disease is a cell-mediated (delayed)
hypersensitivity reaction characterized by granuloma formation and
pulmonary fibrosis which may be fatal.