Level of Exposure to Asbestos
Any amount of asbestos exposure is potentially dangerous. Different asbestos diseases are associate with with different levels of abestos accumulation in the body:
Benign asbestos related pleural disease is caused by moderate levels of asbestos exposure. Pleural plaques usually require a moderate asbestos exposure, but occasionally plaques may be seen in what seems to have been fairly light exposure.
Asbestosis is usually associated with high doses of asbestos. Asbestosis usually takes at least ten years to develop after exposure.
Lung cancer is linked to a significant amount of asbestos exposure, as well as smoking. It follows the same time course of asbestosis.
Mesothelioma may occur with very little asbestos exposure. Even owner/ renovators of fibro homes have developed mesothelioma, as have wives who regularly shook out asbestos workers' overalls before laundering. Mesothelioma usually takes much longer to develop (up to 40 years).