Lead poisoning - associated death from Asian Indian folk remedies: Florida
A case study is presented of a 9-month-old Asian Indian boy who died in Florida of lead poisoning that resulted from ingestion of folk remedies. Postmortem examination revealed severe lead poisoning as the underlying cause of death. High concentrations of lead were found in the blood, urine, liver, and kidneys. Lead lines were seen in radiographs of the long bones. The source of lead could not be identified in the house or environment on examination. However, the parents disclosed that they had regularly given the infant folk remedies from India since he was 2 months old. The parents provided samples of three folk remedies for analysis by the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services. All three contained lead. The highest concentration (1.6%) was in ghasard, a brown powder given once daily as a tonic. Based on recommendations by the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention, the CDC is revising the guidelines for lead screening in young children. The new guidelines recommend EP screening of all children between 9 months and 6 years of age. A child with an EP level of 35..mu..g/dL or higher should have a repeat EP test, a blood-lead test, and a hematocrit or hemoglobin test. Lead toxicity - defined as a blood-lead level of 25 ..mu..g/dL or higher, along with an EP level of 35 ..mu..g/dL or higher - requires further medical evaluation and environmental investigation to identify the source(s) of lead. These new guidelines will be distributed in the form of a CDC statement to health departments and health-care providers.
- OSTI ID:
- 5887775
- Journal Information:
- J. Appl. Math. Mech. (USSR) (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Math. Mech. (USSR) (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 252:22; ISSN JAMMA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AGE GROUPS
AUTOPSY
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BLOOD
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHILDREN
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DRUGS
ELEMENTS
GLANDS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INFANTS
INGESTION
INTAKE
KIDNEYS
LEAD
LIVER
MATERIALS
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
METALS
MORTALITY
ORGANS
RECOMMENDATIONS
SURVEILLANCE
TOXICITY
URINE
WASTES