ABSTRACT
Metal fume fever and pneumosiderosis is an occupational Lung disease acquired when welders are exposure to welding fumes and iron particles during their occupation. A total of one hundred and fifty four (154) sputum samples were collected for the purpose of this study. One hundred and four (104) sputum samples were collected from welders in different locations in owerri. While fifty (50) sputum samples were collected from apparently healthy controls of non welders. The age range 21-30 years recorded highest with 46 (44.23%) frequency of occurrence, followed by age range of 31-40 years with 30 (28.84%) and the Least was from the age range of 51-60 years with 4 (3.85%) frequency of occurrence for the test subjects. The Length of the exposure to welding fumes and iron particles reveals that those exposed from 7-13 years recorded the highest with 30 (28.85%) frequency of occurrence followed by age range 1-6 years with 25 (24.04%) and the Least duration of exposure was recorded among the rest ranging from 27-33 years having 10 (9.61%) each. Many iron deposits were detected in the sputum specimen giving positive reactions with Perls Prussian Blue method with 37 (71.15%) frequency and only l5 (28.85%) recorded as Negative for test subjects. Papanicolaou method was adopted for this research; some cytological findings observed were variables. Long-term exposure to welding fumes and metallic dust particles, inadequate working ventilation as well as the unawareness of its effects were among the risk factors that increased the infection, even among the apparently healthy individual.