Outbreak of methylmercury poisoning due to consumption of contaminated grain
An outbreak of methylmercury poisoning took place in the fall and winter of 1971 to 1972 in Iraq. Six thousand five hundred and thirty cases were admitted to hospitals throughout the country and 459 died in hospital. The outbreak was the result of eating homemade bread prepared from wheat treated with a methylmercury fungicide. The wheat was intended for planting purposes only. Signs and symptoms of poisonings in adults indicate that the major site of action of this form of mercury is the central nervous system. Severe brain damage also resulted from prenatal exposure when the mother ingested large amounts of the contaminated bread. The frequency of signs and symptoms in an exposed population was found to be related to the estimated maximum blood levels, i.e., the concentration in blood at the end of exposure. A small percentage of the population exhibited a significant increase in complaints of paresthesia at maximum blood levels in the range of 240 to 480 ng Hg/ml. At higher blood levels a greater proportion of the population complained of paresthesia and other signs and symptoms became apparent.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Rochester, NY
- OSTI ID:
- 7310728
- Journal Information:
- Fed. Proc.; (United States), Vol. 35:12
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BREAD
CONTAMINATION
FUNGICIDES
TOXICITY
HUMAN POPULATIONS
HEALTH HAZARDS
METHYLMERCURY
WHEAT
BLOOD
BRAIN
INGESTION
INJURIES
IRAQ
ASIA
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOMASS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CEREALS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOOD
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
HAZARDS
INTAKE
MIDDLE EAST
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PESTICIDES
PLANTS
POPULATIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)