Pneumoconiosis: from the works of F. Zenker to the modern concept of immunopathogenesis

The article is devoted to the issue of pneumoconiosis, an occupational interstitial lung disease associated with exposure to industrial aerosols of various physicochemical structures and varying degrees of fibrogenicity (low-fibrogenic, moderately fibrogenic, highly fibrogenic, mixed). The history of the study of pneumoconiosis is described; modern classifications of pneumoconiosis are given; issues of pathogenesis, clinical picture, diagnosis, prevention, assessment of causal relationship between disease and occupation, examination of occupational aptitude, and medical and social examination are discussed.