About the Program

Scholars

Brazil

Scholars of Brazil

Vilton Raile, M.D.

Dr. Vilton Raile, an expert in occupational pneumoconiosis, is a medical doctor in the Occupational Health Department of the Municipality of Osasco in Brazil. He was awarded the Irving J. Selikoff Scholarship in 2002 to support his research on asbestos related lung diseases in cement workers. Dr. Raile works with Steven Markowitz, MD while at Mount Sinai/Queens College. His additional research interest include asbestos related diseases in exposed workers and mortality studies of asbestos related diseases.

Institutional Affiliation

Prefeitura do Municipio de Osasco

Mailing Address

E-mail address

vraile@uol.com.br

Irving J. Selikoff Scholarship Project

Prevalence Study of Asbestos Related Lung Disease in Asbestos Cement Workers in Osasco, Brazil

The purpose of this project is to document the prevalence of non-malignant asbestos related lung diseases in the asbestos cement workers of Osasco City in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Our main objective is to develop a transversal study of workers exposed to asbestos in Osasco City by collecting data and demonstrating the prevalence of non-malignant lung diseases related to asbestos in that populations. Our secondary objective is to improve knowledge about this disease and extend it to clinical doctors of the area. We have about 10,000 former workers exposed to asbestos and about 30,000 people exposed to asbestos due to contact with former workers because they lived near asbestos plants.

Non-malignant asbestos related lung disease prevalence will be investigated using people that worked in an asbestos cement plant in Osasco for the last 10 years. We will also collect data for a sample of workers with more than twenty years of exposure (latency time). We will then study them via questionnaires, physical exams, pulmonary function assessments and X-rays.