Secondhand exposure to asbestos could lead to mesothelioma

Mesothelioma.us, a free online resource that provides people with mesothelioma and their loved ones with in-depth and educational articles, information packets and more about the disease, has just posted a new article that discusses secondhand exposure to asbestos.

As the new article on http://mesothelioma.us/ explains, it is possible to develop mesothelioma through direct physical contact with the clothes of someone else who came in contact with asbestos. While the most common way to contract mesothelioma is by working directly with the toxic asbestos fibers, secondhand exposure can be just as deadly.

The most common occupations that involve working with asbestos include mining, construction, shipbuilding and a variety of other jobs like auto mechanics, painters and roofers. When these workers came home at the end of the day, they probably changed out of their work clothes and placed them into the clothes hamper.

Then, as a spokesperson for Mesothelioma.us noted, when the spouse or child of the worker did the laundry, he or she was unwittingly exposed to the toxic fibers.

"There are numerous cases of spouses of miners and construction workers who have developed mesothelioma from breathing in the fibers that their husbands or wives brought home with them from the plant, mine or construction site," notes the new article, adding that if that person worked in the insulation industry at a time when asbestos use was at its peak, then they have a much higher chance of developing this deadly disease than others who may have had minimal exposure to asbestos fibers as a result of their daily working activities.

People may also contract mesothelioma by being exposed to asbestos in their home or office. Many older homes have asbestos-lined insulation, the article notes, and if it becomes unsealed the entire family will be at risk for developing the often-fatal cancer.