This disease can make you feel weak and tired, and can cause difficulty in breathing. Swallowing beryllium has not been reported to cause effects in humans because very little beryllium can move from the stomach and intestines into the bloodstream. Beryllium contact with scraped or cut skin can cause rashes or ulcers. This determination is based on animal studies and studies in workers. None of the studies provide conclusive evidence, but when taken as a whole, they indicate that long-term exposure to beryllium in the air results in an increase in lung cancer.
Tests can measure beryllium in the urine and blood.
Small amounts of human lung and skin can also be removed from the body and examined for beryllium. These tests can be done in a doctor's office or in a hospital. One test uses blood cells washed out of the lung. If these cells start growing in the presence of beryllium, you are probably sensitive to beryllium and may have chronic beryllium disease. A greater than normal bodily response to a foreign agent.