Mesothelioma Rates Rise in Israeli Town Due to Asbestos Exposure

A new study presented by a senior Israeli health official has revealed that a town located in Northern Israel has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world.

Dr. Micha Bar-Hana, director of the Israeli Health Ministry’s Cancer Registry, elaborated on his findings at a conference held at the Rabin Medical Center. The town of Nahariya, centered in the northern part of Israel, had a mesothelioma rate of 5.72 people per 100,000 from 2002 to 2008. A total number of 19 patients were diagnosed with mesothelioma during that time.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Genoa, Italy is the city with the highest rate of asbestos-related diseases in the world, with a rate of 5.8 cases per 100,000 residents.

The city was once home to a prominent asbestos plant that was shut down in 1997 and Dr. Bar-Hana believes the number of mesothelioma cases will rise in the years to come due to the long latency period associated with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancers.

Asbestos gained widespread use in the 20th century in many applications in a variety of industries.  Due to its fire and heat resistant qualities, it was frequently used in insulation and piping found in ships, planes, power plants and homes.

The inhalation of asbestos fibers can result in the development of serious illnesses, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and other asbestos-related diseases. Mesothelioma patients often express symptoms 20 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestos occurred. The long latency period, coupled with the fact that symptoms typically resemble less-serious illnesses, can make mesothelioma diagnosis difficult.

Mesothelioma cases have slowly risen each year in Israel with more than 30 new cases reported annually, mostly among men who worked at job sites where asbestos was used.

According to Dr. Avi Weiner, a physician at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, the largest city in northern Israel, people in close contact with those exposed to asbestos are also at risk of developing an asbestos-related disease. Weiner treated two women who became sick because their husbands carried asbestos particles into the home on their clothing.

Additional information about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 22nd, 2009 at 10:26 am and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Jobsite Exposure, Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.