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The talk details are as follows. Please note that this talk starts at *1pm *and there will be cheese/snacks from around 12. Ting-Li Title: Metal Fume and Risk of Infectious Pneumonia Speaker: David Coggon (MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton University) Venue: Fylde SCR, Lancaster University Time: 2009-11-26 *13:00 Thursday* (Cheese biscuits, Snacks FROM 12:00) [Abstract] This presentation will describe how routine epidemiological surveillance has led to the discovery of a previously unrecognised occupational health hazard. Findings from a national analysis of occupational mortality for 1979-90 indicated elevated PMRs for pneumonia in welders and other occupations involving exposure to metal fume. Further investigation revealed that this had been a consistent observation over more than 50 years. A subsequent case-control study in the West Midlands confirmed that the elevation of risk extended to non-fatal, community-acquired pneumonia treated in hospital. The evidence that has been accumulated indicates that the hazard is principally for lobar pneumonia; extends to disease caused by other infectious agents as well as the pneumococcus; is caused by ferrous fume and possibly by other metals; and disappears once exposure ceases. Research is now underway to explore possible pathogenetic mechanisms so that exposure-response relationships can be better characterised, and strategies can be developed to reduce risk.