24 June, 2016

Jo Szram gave a talk on indoor air and respiratory health at the BTS SAG-organised OELD symposium, discussing diverse conditions relating to domestic and work environments, such as humidifier fever and hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

The other two talks in the session related to outdoor air pollution by Dr Gary Fuller from Kings College London (MRC-PHE Centre for Environment & Health); and Dr Kevin Mortimer from the CAPS team (Cooking and Pneumonia Study) at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, who brought along some new pollution-reducing cooking stoves for use in rural communities in developing world countries. 

The session’s audience ranged from senior clinicians to respiratory trainees, which encouraged a wide ranging discussion.

Jo and Paul Cullinan also contributed a handy guide for trainees to the subspecialty of occupational lung disease to a new website launched at the meeting, hosted by Respiratory Futures and run by the BTS trainee group. 

Dr LJ Smith - who was tweeting throughout the session and is part of the team running the website - said “Occupational and environmental lung disease is a fascinating, diverse and ever-changing area of Respiratory medicine which takes physicians out of the hospital and into homes, workplaces and further afield. Not all trainees have easy access to specific training in occupational lung disease. For those who are interested in pursuing a career in this exciting area, or are keen to get more experience and ensure they don’t miss occupational asthma, this guide is a brilliant resource packed with information, links and contacts.”