User:Mr. Ibrahem/Mercury poisoning
| Mercury poisoning | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Mercury toxicity, mercury overdose, mercury intoxication, hydrargyria, mercurialism |
 | |
| The bulb of a mercury-in-glass thermometer | |
| Specialty | Toxicology |
| Symptoms | Muscle weakness, poor coordination, numbness in the hands and feet[1] |
| Complications | Kidney problems, decreased intelligence[2] |
| Causes | Exposure to mercury[1] |
| Diagnostic method | Difficult[3] |
| Prevention | Decreasing use of mercury, low mercury diet[4] |
| Medication | Acute poisoning: dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), dimercaptopropane sulfonate (DMPS)[5] |
Mercury poisoning is a type of metal poisoning due to exposure to mercury.[3] Symptoms depend upon the type, dose, method, and duration of exposure.[3][4] They may include muscle weakness, poor coordination, numbness in the hands and feet, skin rashes, anxiety, memory problems, trouble speaking, trouble hearing, or trouble seeing.[1] High-level exposure to methylmercury is known as Minamata disease.[2] Methylmercury exposure in children may result in acrodynia (pink disease) in which the skin becomes pink and peels.[2] Long-term complications may include kidney problems and decreased intelligence.[2] The effects of long-term low-dose exposure to methylmercury are unclear.[6]
Forms of mercury exposure include metal, vapor, salt, and organic compound.[3] Most exposure is from eating fish, amalgam based dental fillings, or exposure at work.[3] In fish, those higher up in the food chain generally have higher levels of mercury.[3] Less commonly, poisoning may occur as a method of attempted suicide.[3] Human activities that release mercury into the environment include the burning of coal and mining of gold.[4] Tests of the blood, urine, and hair for mercury are available but do not relate well to the amount in the body.[3]
Prevention includes eating a diet low in mercury, removing mercury from medical and other devices, proper disposal of mercury, and not mining further mercury.[4][2] In those with acute poisoning from inorganic mercury salts, chelation with either dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) or dimercaptopropane sulfonate (DMPS) appears to improve outcomes if given within a few hours of exposure.[5] Chelation for those with long-term exposure is of unclear benefit.[5] In certain communities that survive on fishing, rates of mercury poisoning among children have been as high as 1.7 per 100.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Mercury". NIEHS. Archived from the original on 19 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Bose-O'Reilly, S; McCarty, KM; Steckling, N; Lettmeier, B (September 2010). "Mercury exposure and children's health". Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care. 40 (8): 186–215. doi:10.1016/j.cppeds.2010.07.002. PMC 3096006. PMID 20816346.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Bernhoft, RA (2012). "Mercury toxicity and treatment: a review of the literature". Journal of Environmental and Public Health. 2012: 460508. doi:10.1155/2012/460508. PMC 3253456. PMID 22235210.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ a b c d e "Mercury and health". WHO. January 2016. Archived from the original on 20 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ^ a b c Kosnett, MJ (December 2013). "The role of chelation in the treatment of arsenic and mercury poisoning". Journal of Medical Toxicology. 9 (4): 347–54. doi:10.1007/s13181-013-0344-5. PMC 3846971. PMID 24178900.
- ^ Hong, YS; Kim, YM; Lee, KE (November 2012). "Methylmercury exposure and health effects". Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health = Yebang Uihakhoe Chi. 45 (6): 353–63. doi:10.3961/jpmph.2012.45.6.353. PMC 3514465. PMID 23230465.