Zhenyan Gao1, Xiaolan Ying1, Jin Yan1, Ju Wang1, Shizhong Cai2, Chonghuai Yan3. 1. Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. 2. Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China. 3. Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: yanch@shkeylab-ceh.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: We investigated the clinical characteristics of a 3-month-old infant with acute mercury vapor poisoning. Clinical symptoms of acute mercury poisoning in infants include acute onset, rapid progression, severe illness with respiratory symptoms that may result in pneumothoraces and aspiration pneumonias. CASE PRESENTATION: A 3-month-old girl presented with pneumothoraces and respiratory failure to the hospital. Two days before hospitalization, the girl had stayed in a room containing mercury vapor for several hours. She was hospitalized for acute mercury poisoning. We used sodium dimercaptosulphonate (DMPS) for treatment. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary disease was mainly induced by the inhalation of mercury vapor. The disease was characterized by acute respiratory distress, pneumothorax and acute chemical pneumonitis. It responded to chelation therapy with the agent DMPS.
BACKGROUND: We investigated the clinical characteristics of a 3-month-old infant with acute mercury vapor poisoning. Clinical symptoms of acute mercury poisoning in infants include acute onset, rapid progression, severe illness with respiratory symptoms that may result in pneumothoraces and aspiration pneumonias. CASE PRESENTATION: A 3-month-old girl presented with pneumothoraces and respiratory failure to the hospital. Two days before hospitalization, the girl had stayed in a room containing mercury vapor for several hours. She was hospitalized for acute mercury poisoning. We used sodium dimercaptosulphonate (DMPS) for treatment. CONCLUSION:Pulmonary disease was mainly induced by the inhalation of mercury vapor. The disease was characterized by acute respiratory distress, pneumothorax and acute chemical pneumonitis. It responded to chelation therapy with the agent DMPS.