At an isolated weather station in the central United States, a technician emerges from a small brick shed grasping a balloon. It's not just any birthday party balloon, mind you, but a massive, white sphere more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter.
Lung abscess can also be caused by the spread of other infections from the liver, abdominal cavity, or open chest wounds. Rarely, AIDS patients can develop lung abscess from Pneumocystis carinii and other organisms that take advantage of a weakened immune system. Lung abscess is usually slow to develop.
Pneumoconiosis is a lung condition caused by the inhalation of airborne particles that can damage lung tissue. This is mainly seen with the inhalation of dust from coal (coal workerâs pneumoconiosis), asbestos (asbestosis), silica (silicosis) and beryllium (berylliosis). It is usually due to occupational exposure.