Which occupational lung disease is associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis?

• A. Sarcoidosis
• B. Asthma
• C. Silicosis
• D. Lung Cancer

Answer: (C)

Silicosis increases the risk of tuberculosis because inhaled crystalline silica damages alveolar macrophages and impairs their ability to contain Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This disrupts granuloma formation and phagocytic killing, making latent TB more likely to reactivate. The fibrotic nodules in silicosis also provide a niche where TB bacteria can thrive. This association is classic in workers exposed to silica, such as miners, stone cutters, and sandblasters. Other listed conditions don’t have this specific link: asthma is an inflammatory airway disease not known for impairing intracellular TB control, sarcoidosis involves granulomas but isn’t driven by silica exposure and doesn’t carry the same TB reactivation risk, and lung cancer isn’t characteristically associated with increased TB reactivation.