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In addition to mesothelioma,
another asbestos danger is asbestosis.
With asbestosis, lung tissue is damaged by asbestos fibers,
which cause inflammation and scarring.
Asbestosis occurs when scar tissue replaces lung tissue.
Asbestosis produces shortness of breath and coughing,
and may also cause permanent lung damage.
While asbestosis is non-cancerous,
asbestosis is a slowly progressing disease,
and takes usually 10 to 20 years to develop after exposure.
People at greatest risk for this asbestos danger
are those with high levels of exposure to asbestos for a long period of time.
Asbestosis has shown to lower a person's resistance to secondary diseases
like pneumonia, emphysema, and tuberculosis.
Many people with asbestosis also develop mesothelioma.
If you or a loved one has a history of asbestos exposure,
you may wish to visit our Testing for Asbestos Related Illness page.
There you will find information on various medical tests available
for confirming the presence of asbestos related illnesses and abnormalities.