Chronic methylmercury toxicosis in calves

Journal Article · Sat Jan 15 04:00:00 EST 1972 · J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5261127

Herigstad, R R; Whitehair, C K; Beyer, N; Mickelsen, O; Zabik, M J

Clinical signs, lesions, and tissue residues were determined in 5 calves after the feeding of graded amounts of a methylmercury product over an extended period. Between the 35th and 91st days of the study, 3 of the calves developed clinical signs of toxicosis characterized by a sudden onset of ataxia and neuromuscular incoordination, which progressed rapidly to convulsions and a moribund state. Gross morphologic lesions were minimal. The histopathologic changes were principally a reduction in the number of cells in the cerebellar granular layer and toxic nephrosis involving the proximal convoluted tubules. The rates of mercury deposition in blood plasma, erythrocytes, and hair varied throughout the experiment. Mercury residues in tissues at necropsy were not correlated with the cumulative amount fed or the onset of clinical signs but were relatively consistent for each calf when the residues in samples of hair, liver, kidney, brain, and semitendinosus muscle were compared.

• Research Organization: Michigan State Univ., East Lansing
• OSTI ID: 5261127
• Journal Information: J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc.; (United States) Vol. 160:2; ISSN JAVMA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BLOOD CHEMISTRY
BLOOD PLASMA
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
BRAIN
CALVES
CATTLE
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CEREBELLUM
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASES
DISTRIBUTION
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ERYTHROCYTES
GLANDS
GLOMERULI
HAIR
INJURIES
KIDNEYS
LIVER
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METABOLISM
METHYLMERCURY
MUSCLES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RESIDUES
RUMINANTS
SKIN
SYMPTOMS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES