1/7. Severe 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) intoxication: clinical and laboratory effects.A variety of health effects have been attributed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), but little information is available on the course of a verified high-level TCDD intoxication. In this paper we describe two cases of heavy intoxication with TCDD and present a 2-year follow-up including clinical, biochemical, hematologic, endocrine, and immunologic parameters monitored in two women, 30 and 27 years of age, who suffered from chloracne due to TCDD intoxication of unknown origin. Patient 1, who had the highest TCDD level ever recorded in an individual (144,000 pg/g blood fat), developed severe generalized chloracne, whereas in the second patient, despite heavy intoxication (26,000 pg/g blood fat), only mild facial acne lesions occurred. Both patients initially experienced nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms. In Patient 1 we observed a moderate elevation of blood lipids, leukocytosis, anemia, and secondary amenorrhoea. The laboratory parameters in Patient 2 were all normal. Despite the high TCDD levels, apart from chloracne, only few clinical and biochemical health effects were observed within the first 2 years after TCDD intoxication.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/7. Two children with bromate intoxication due to ingestion of the second preparation for permanent hair waving.We report two children who suffered from sodium bromate intoxication due to ingestion of the second preparation for permanent hair waving (the second permanent preparation). One child suffered from gastrointestinal symptoms only. The other exhibited slight acute renal insufficiency. Results of the histological examination of the kidney in the sick child with acute renal insufficiency showed sporadic epithelial separation of the proximal tubuli under light microscopy. In addition, we could demonstrate more clearly epithelial separation and unbroken tubular basement membranes under electron microscopy (EM). To our knowledge, this is the first report of EM findings in this disease. The mechanism of epithelial injuries by bromate is not clear.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.55555555555556keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/7. An outbreak of toxic encephalopathy caused by eating mussels contaminated with domoic acid.In canada in late 1987 there was an outbreak of an acute illness characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms and unusual neurologic abnormalities among persons who had eaten cultivated mussels. health departments in canada solicited reports of this newly recognized illness. A case was defined as the occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms within 24 hours or of neurologic symptoms within 48 hours of the ingestion of mussels. From the more than 250 reports received, 107 patients met the case definition. The most common symptoms were vomiting (in 76 percent of the patients), abdominal cramps (50 percent), diarrhea (42 percent), headache, often described as incapacitating (43 percent), and loss of short-term memory (25 percent). Nineteen patients were hospitalized, of whom 12 required intensive care because of seizures, coma, profuse respiratory secretions, or unstable blood pressure. male sex and increasing age were associated independently with the risks of hospitalization and memory loss. Three patients died. Mussels associated with this illness were traced to cultivation beds in three river estuaries on the eastern coast of prince edward island. Domoic acid, which can act as an excitatory neurotransmitter, was identified in mussels left uneaten by the patients and in mussels sampled from these estuaries. The source of the domoic acid appears to have been a form of marine vegetation, Nitzschia pungens, also identified in these waters in late 1987. The contaminated mussels from prince edward island were removed from the market, and no new cases have occurred since December 1987. We conclude that the cause of this outbreak of a novel and severe intoxication was the ingestion of mussels contaminated by domoic acid, a potent excitatory neurotransmitter.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.11111111111111keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/7. Acute arsenic intoxication.The diagnosis of acute arsenic poisoning should be considered in any patient presenting with severe gastrointestinal complaints. signs and symptoms include nausea, vomiting, colicky abdominal pain and profuse, watery diarrhea. hypotension, fluid and electrolyte disturbances, mental status changes, electrocardiographic abnormalities, respiratory failure and death can result. Quantitative measurement of 24-hour urinary arsenic excretion is the only reliable laboratory test to confirm arsenic poisoning. Treatment includes gastric emesis or lavage, chelation therapy, electrolyte and fluid replacement, and cardiorespiratory support.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.44444444444444keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/7. Unusual manifestations of arsenic intoxication.A patient with arsenic intoxication is reported, who presented with a variety of gastrointestinal and neurologic disturbances including unilateral facial nerve palsy and acute symptomatic pancreatitis, neither of which have been previously described as sequelae of arsenic poisoning. The patient also suffered hematologic, dermatologic, and cardiopulmonary complications. A review of the literature about this interesting problem is also presented.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.55555555555556keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/7. The gastrointestinal manifestations of gunshot-induced lead poisoning.lead poisoning associated with gunshot is not unknown but, unless suspected, can be easily missed. We describe a patient with lead intoxication following a gunshot injury, who presented with abdominal colic, anorexia, and weight loss as initial manifestations. He had extremely high blood lead levels and the onset of lead poisoning was comparatively rapid. We review the recent English language literature (1980-1993) related to lead poisoning due to lead projectiles with particular emphasis on mechanisms responsible for its gastrointestinal manifestations.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.11111111111111keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/7. heroin body packers.Fourteen body packers carrying 2-112 heroin packages are reported. Nine people swallowed the packets, and five inserted them rectally. The ingested packages were large and radio-opaque; they consisted of hard lumps of concentrated heroin usually covered with glove latex, white adhesive tape, and a toy balloon. There were two complications in the 14 patients. One patient developed a bowel obstruction; at laparotomy 8 packages were found in the stomach and 27 at the ileo-cecal valve. Another patient, with heroin wrapped only with black electrician's tape and no latex inner or outer wrappings, developed heroin intoxication, noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, and a bowel obstruction. Eighteen packages were surgically removed from his stomach and 26 from his bowel. We recommend bisacodyl suppositories, activated charcoal mixed with a 3% sodium sulfate cathartic, and phosphosoda enemas for package removal; close observation for heroin toxicity or bowel obstruction; and surgical intervention for continuing toxicity, retention of packages in the stomach, or bowel obstruction.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.11111111111111keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |