1/3. Aviators intoxicated by inhalation of JP-5 fuel vapors.This case of intoxication of two aviators by inhalation of JP-5 fuel vapors emphasizes a dangerous safety hazard. One or both aviators experienced burning eyes, nausea, fatigue, impairment of eye-hand coordination, euphoria, and memory defects when their cockpit became overwhelmed with the odor of JP-5 fuel. Physical and laboratory examinations were normal except for their ill appearance, conjunctivitis, and mild hypertension, which resolved without sequelae. Exposure to JP-5 fuel vapor occurs frequently, particularly after acrobatic flight in some aircraft. The neurologic effects and insidious nature of intoxication makes continued operation under such conditions extremely hazardous. The following is recommended: in the event the odor of JP-5 or any noxious or irritating substance is detected in the cockpit, serious consideration should be given to terminating the flight, using precautionary emergency landing procedures and 100% O2.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/3. Fetal methemoglobinemia: a cause of nonimmune hydrops fetalis.A case of nonimmune hydrops fetalis resulting from fetal methemoglobinemia is presented. A woman with a pregnancy at 17 weeks' gestation was admitted after combustion gas intoxication. Although the mother totally recovered, the fetus showed signs of nonimmune hydrops fetalis at follow-up. Fetal methemoglobin levels were very high.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/3. Three cases of methylmercury intoxication which eluded correct diagnosis.Three casual workers engaged in the production of mercuric acetate were admitted to hospital within 22 calendar days of each other, respectively 30, 48 and 5 days after their last working day. The workers served the same reactor in which elemental mercury was oxidized by peroxide and mercuric acetate was formed by the reaction of mercuric oxide with acetic acid. The diagnosis of mercury vapour intoxication of the first two patients was made 21 and 16 days after their admission when the third patient was admitted and hospitals were informed about their exposure. This diagnosis was made without considering: (a) that the observed signs were characteristic of methylmercury intoxication and are rarely present in mercury vapour intoxication; (b) the degree of deterioration after removal from exposure implicated methylmercury; (c) that blood mercury concentrations extrapolated to the last day at work were in the range, which had been associated with severe intoxication in the iraq methylmercury epidemic; (d) at the time of the first blood mercury estimations the blood urinary mercury concentration ratios were 11.2, 5.4 and 2.4 while this ratio is below 0.5 in mercury vapour intoxication or in workers exposed to mercury vapour.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4.5keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |