The role of hypersensitivity and the immune response in influencing susceptibility to metal toxicity.

The immune status of the individual is an additional variable which has to be taken into account in any consideration of factors which influence the metabolism and toxicity of metals. The commonly occurring phenomena are described resulting from increased cellular reactivity to platinum, mercury, gold, nickel, chromium, and beryllium, and an attempt has attempt has been made to classify these into the four types of immune response. The clinical effects can be very varied, giving rise to conjunctivitis, rhinitis, asthma, urticaria, contact dermatitis, proteinuria, nephrotic syndrome or blood dyscrasia. Of these effects, cutaneous hypersensitivity is the most common, affecting both industrial and general population groups. Metal compounds used in therapeutics and metals used in prostheses have also been responsible for hypersensitive reactions.