Is sarcoidosis more prevalent among people of certain occupations?
In the United States, a higher percentage of cases of sarcoidosis have been reported in health care workers, naval aircraft servicemen, and firefighters. Whether or not these people are exposed to certain common chemicals or have other environmental commonalities remains unknown. Another explanation simply might be that people in these occupations receive more regularly scheduled health screenings than people in other occupations, which increases the odds that the disease–if they have it–is identified. Also, people who work in the processing of beryllium (used in heat resistant materials) are susceptible to a disease indistinguishable from sarcoidosis.
