Pathology of chronic alkylmercurial poisoning in swine

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1973 · Am. J. Vet. Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5405073

Tryphonas, L; Nielsen, N O

Methylmercuric dicyandiamide (MMD) and ethylmercuric chloride (EMC) were used to produce chronic alkylmercurial poisoning in young pigs. A dosage of 0.19 to 0.76 mg of Hg/kg of body weight per day was used for as many as 60 (MMD) and 90 (EMC) days. The resulting toxicosis was primarily related to the nervous system in which neuronal necrosis followed by secondary gliosis, capillary endothelial proliferation, and additional neuronal necrosis due to developing degenerative arteriopathy in the blood vessels supplying injured gray matter were seen. In other systems, degeneration of hepatocytes and renal tubular cells were commonly occurring lesions in pigs given both MMD and EMC, whereas edema of the mesocolon, necrosis of the epithelium, and degenerative arteriopathy in the submucosa were seen most consistently in the esophagus and large intestine of pigs given EMC (0.76 mg of Hg/kg). Results of analytical tests indicated that severely affected tissue had relatively high concentrations of mercury. Tissue concentrations of mercury in the dosage studied indicated a direct relationship to dose. The results proved that the alkylmercurial compounds MMD and EMC, if fed at low concentrations for long periods, were highly poisonous to swine. The public health implications of porcine alkylmercurial poisoning, especially when meat, liver, and kidney from poisoned pigs are consumed by a limited number of people, were emphasized. 36 references, 22 figures, 4 tables.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
• OSTI ID: 5405073
• Journal Information: Am. J. Vet. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Vet. Res.; (United States) Vol. 34:3; ISSN AJVRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550900 -- Pathology
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BODY
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
CONTAMINATION
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASES
DISTRIBUTION
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
EPITHELIUM
ESOPHAGUS
FOOD CHAINS
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
INTESTINES
KIDNEYS
LARGE INTESTINE
LIVER CELLS
MAMMALS
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
NECROSIS
NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PATHOLOGY
SOMATIC CELLS
SWINE
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TISSUES
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES