Fetal methylmercury poisoning: new data on clinical and toxicological aspects
Fetal methylmercury (MeHg) poisoning causing severe brain damage has been reported previously but dose-response data for critical levels of MeHg have been inadequate. Following the consumption of MeHg contaminated bread in Iraq, hair samples were obtained from women who had been pregnant during MeHg exposure and consecutive segments of hair were analyzed to provide peak hair mercury concentrations. When last examined the children were aged 4/sup 1///sub 2/ to 5 years. Only 4 of the 29 children had severe neurological signs but mild spastic diplegia was observed. Ten mothers had peak hair mercury concentrations between 112 and 384 parts per million (ppM). Their children had the following abnormalities (percentages in parentheses refer to findings in the children of 15 mothers with peak hair mercury levels less than 25 ppM); early motor retardation 50%; delayed speech 70% (7%); mental retardation 40%; convulsive disorder 30%; extensor plantar 55%; neurological signs other than plantars 40%; small head 40%; short stature 70%. MeHg induced fetal brain damage with maternal hair mercury concentrations as low as 112 to 384 ppM has not been reported previously and indicates the particular susceptibility of the fetal brain.
- Research Organization:
- Rochester Univ., N.Y. (USA). School of Medicine and Dentistry; Baghdad Univ. (Iraq). Coll. of Medicine
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-02-3490
- OSTI ID:
- 6844544
- Report Number(s):
- UR-3490-1343; CONF-770486-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
550900 -- Pathology
560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKOXY RADICALS
ANIMALS
CHILDREN
CONGENITAL MALFORMATIONS
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ELEMENTS
FEMALES
FETUSES
INGESTION
INTAKE
MALFORMATIONS
MAMMALS
MAN
MEDICINE
MENTAL DISORDERS
MERCURY
METALS
METHOXY RADICALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PEDIATRICS
PREGNANCY
PRIMATES
RADICALS
SENSITIVITY
TERATOGENESIS
TIME DEPENDENCE
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
WOMEN