Publications
Quality assurance and methodological improvement, alongside analytical work for diagnostics, are among Silag’s activities, as is the evaluation of existing data. In recent years, a number of publications have been released by and with members of Silag.
Linkage with the Swiss National Cohort
The study successfully linked data from the Swiss Laboratory for Particle Analysis (Silag) with data from the Swiss National Cohort (SNC), enabling 94% of the n = 838 cases to be linked and providing new insights into occupational groups and regional distributions of mesotheliomas. The results revealed a significant number of managers among those affected, as well as a regional cluster in the canton of Glarus.
B.N. Locher, F. Barresi, B.K. Kuhn, B. Vrugt, M. Bopp and H. Dressel: Occupations and geographical distribution of mesothelioma in Switzerland 1989–2018 – record linkage of an asbestos-exposed population with the Swiss National Cohort. Swiss Med Wkly 2022, 152:w30164
https://doi.org/10.4414/SMW.2022.w30164
Quality control in sample preparation and analysis
In recent years, questions have arisen regarding the quality and comparability of results obtained from different available samples and preparation methods. For this reason, different sample preparation methods were performed in parallel on archived lung tissue. A comparison of results from formalin‑fixed wet tissue and paraffin blocks shows slightly lower levels of FB and asbestos fibers in paraffin blocks.
B.K. Kuhn, F. Barresi, H. Dressel and B. Vrugt: Discrepancies of asbestos body and fiber content between formalin-fixed and corresponding paraffin embedded lung tissue. Inhalation Toxicology 2020
https://doi.org/10.1080/08958378.2020.1860167
B.K. Kuhn, B. Vrugt, A. Low, J.E. Goodman and R. Attanoos: Comparative analysis of asbestos body and fiber content in formalin-fixed vs. paraffin-embedded lung tissue. Frontiers in Public Health 2025
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1590802
Reference groups
The availability of reference groups is an important prerequisite for interpreting results from lung dust analyses is. This also includes an unexposed general population. In a literature review, values from around the world were compiled and compared, revealing considerable differences. In addition, asbestos levels in the general population appear to be declining over time, as observed in exposed groups. Therefore, it is important for each laboratory to establish its own reference groups and to update them over time.
B. Vrugt, B.K. Kuhn and R. Attanoos: Defining control reference ranges in biological samples in analytical laboratories. Frontiers in Public Health 2025