RT Book, Section
A1 Smollin, Craig
A2 Papadakis, Maxine A.
A2 McPhee, Stephen J.
A2 Rabow, Michael W.
A2 McQuaid, Kenneth R.
SR Print(0)
ID 1184179746
T1 Mercury Poisoning
T2 Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2022
YR 2022
FD 2022
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9781264269389
LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1184179746
RD 2024/04/16
AB Mercury  poisoning  may  occur  by  ingestion  of  inorganic  mercuric  salts,  organic  mercury  compounds,  or  inhalation  of  metallic  mercury  vapor.  Ingestion  of  the  mercuric  salts  causes  a  burning  sensation  in  the  throat,  discoloration  and  edema  of  oral  mucous  membranes,  abdominal  pain,  vomiting,  bloody  diarrhea,  and  shock.  Direct  nephrotoxicity  causes  acute  kidney  injury.  Inhalation  of  high  concentrations  of  metallic  mercury  vapor  may  cause  acute  fulminant  chemical  pneumonia.  Chronic  mercury  poisoning  causes  weakness,  ataxia,  intention  tremors,  irritability,  and  depression.  Exposure  to  alkyl  (organic)  mercury  derivatives  from  highly  contaminated  fish  or  fungicides  used  on  seeds  has  caused  ataxia,  tremors,  convulsions,  and  catastrophic  birth  defects.  Nearly  all  fish  have  some  traces  of  mercury  contamination;  the  US  Environmental  Protection  Agency  (EPA)  advises  consumers  to  avoid  swordfish,  shark,  king  mackerel,  and  tilefish  because  they  contain  higher  levels.  Fish  and  shellfish  that  are  generally  low  in  mercury  content  include  shrimp,  canned  light  tuna  (not  albacore  “white”  tuna),  salmon,  pollock,  and  catfish.  Dental  fillings  composed  of  mercury  amalgam  pose  a  very  small  risk  of  chronic  mercury  poisoning  and  their  removal  is  rarely  justified.  Some  imported  skin  lightening  creams  contain  toxic  quantities  of  mercury.