byssinosis /bis′inō″sis/ [Gk, byssos, flax, osis, condition] , an occupational respiratory disease characterized by shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing. The condition is an allergic reaction to dust or fungi in cotton, flax, and hemp fibers. Compare pneumoconiosis. See also organic dust. ▪ OBSERVATIONS: The symptoms are typically more pronounced on Mondays, when workers return after a weekend break. They are reversible in the early stages, but prolonged exposure results in chronic airway obstruction, bronchitis, and emphysema with fibrosis, leading to respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension, and cor pulmonale. ▪ INTERVENTIONS: Treatment is symptomatic for the irreversible changes of emphysema and chronic bronchitis. ▪ PATIENT CARE CONSIDERATIONS: In the United States, the disease is most common in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia in individuals working in the textile industry.
