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October 1976, Vol 130, No. 10 >
Article | October 1976

Perinatal Methylmercury Poisoning in Iraq FREE

Laman Amin-Zaki, MD; Sami Elhassani, MD; Mohammed A. Majeed, MD; Thomas W. Clarkson, PhD; Richard A. Doherty, MD; Michael R. Greenwood, MS; Teresa Giovanoli-Jakubczak, PhD
[+] Author Affiliations

Reprint requests to Department of Pediatrics, Box 666, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642 (Dr Doherty).


Am J Dis Child. 1976;130(10):1070-1076. doi:10.1001/archpedi.1976.02120110032004.
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• The signs and symptoms of methylmercury poisoning and the concentrations of mercury in samples of blood, hair, and milk are reported and compared in two infant-mother pairs exposed in the recent Iraq outbreak.1 In one pair, the infant was born prior to the exposure of the mother, and was exposed only from ingestion of methylmercury in mother's milk. In the other pair, the mother was exposed during pregnancy and did not breast feed the infant, who died 30 days after birth. Both mothers had some signs and symptoms of poisoning, but the infants did not. The infants had maximum estimated blood mercury levels between

REFERENCES

1 +
Bakir F, Damluji SF, Amin-Zaki L, et al:  Methylmercury poisoning in Iraq: An inter-university report . Science 181:230-241, 1973;.
2 +
Harada Y:  Study group on Minamata disease , in Katsuma M (ed) Minamata Disease . Kumamoto, Japan, Kumamoto University, 1966;.
3 +
Berglund F, et al:  Methylmercury in fish . Nord Hyg Tidskr , (suppl 4) , 1971;.
4 +
Amin-Zaki L, Elhassani S, Majeed MA, et al:  Studies of infants post-natally exposed to methylmercury . J Pediatr 85:81-84, 1974;.
5 +
Amin-Zaki L, Elhassani S, Majeed MA, et al:  Intra-uterine methylmercury poisoning in Iraq . Pediatrics 54:5, 1974;.
6 +
Spyker JM, Sparber SB, Goldberg AM:  Subtle consequences of methylmercury exposure: Behavioral derivations in off-spring of treated mothers . Teratology 5:267, 1972;.
7 +
Magos L, Clarkson TW:  A method for determining total, inorganic and organic mercury in normal and exposed populations . J Assoc Anal Chem 55:966-971, 1972;.
8 +
Giovanoli-Jakubczak T, Greenwood MR, Smith JC, et al:  Determination of total and inorganic mercury in hair by flameless atomic absorption, and of methylmercury by gas chromatography . Clin Chem 20:222-229, 1974;.
9 +
Birke G, Johnels AG, Plantin LO, et al:  Studies on humans exposed to methylmercury through fish consumption . Arch Environ Health 25:77-91, 1972;.
10 +
Miettinen JK:  Absorption and elimination of dietary mercury (Hg2+) and methylmercury in man , in Miller MW, Clarkson TW (eds): Mercury, Mercurials and Mercaptans . Springfield, Ill, Charles C Thomas, Publishers, 1973;.
11 +
Al-Shahristani H, Shihab KM:  Variation in biological half-life of methylmercury in man . Arch Environ Health 28:342-344, 1974;.
12 +
Giovanoli-Jakubczak T, Berg GG:  Measurement of mercury in hair . Arch Environ Health 28:139-144, 1974;.
13 +
Sumari P, Backman AL, Karli P, et al:  Hälsoundersökningar bland fiskkonsumenter i. Finland . Nord Hyg T 50:97-102, 1969;.
14 +
Tsubaki T, quoted in Evaluation of mercury, lead, cadmium and the food additives amaranth, diethylpyrocarbonate, and octyl gallate . Food additives series 4, Geneva, World Health Organization, 1972;.
15 +
Skerfving S:  Methylmercury exposure, mercury levels in blood and hair and health status of Swedes consuming contaminated fish . Toxicology 2:3-28, 1974;.
16 +
Tejning S:  International and Swedish standards concerning the mercury contents in foodstuffs in the light of the amounts present in fish, in blood corpuscles, blood plasma and hair of man . Nord Hyg T 50:103-115, 1969;.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

References

1 +
Bakir F, Damluji SF, Amin-Zaki L, et al:  Methylmercury poisoning in Iraq: An inter-university report . Science 181:230-241, 1973;.
2 +
Harada Y:  Study group on Minamata disease , in Katsuma M (ed) Minamata Disease . Kumamoto, Japan, Kumamoto University, 1966;.
3 +
Berglund F, et al:  Methylmercury in fish . Nord Hyg Tidskr , (suppl 4) , 1971;.
4 +
Amin-Zaki L, Elhassani S, Majeed MA, et al:  Studies of infants post-natally exposed to methylmercury . J Pediatr 85:81-84, 1974;.
5 +
Amin-Zaki L, Elhassani S, Majeed MA, et al:  Intra-uterine methylmercury poisoning in Iraq . Pediatrics 54:5, 1974;.
6 +
Spyker JM, Sparber SB, Goldberg AM:  Subtle consequences of methylmercury exposure: Behavioral derivations in off-spring of treated mothers . Teratology 5:267, 1972;.
7 +
Magos L, Clarkson TW:  A method for determining total, inorganic and organic mercury in normal and exposed populations . J Assoc Anal Chem 55:966-971, 1972;.
8 +
Giovanoli-Jakubczak T, Greenwood MR, Smith JC, et al:  Determination of total and inorganic mercury in hair by flameless atomic absorption, and of methylmercury by gas chromatography . Clin Chem 20:222-229, 1974;.
9 +
Birke G, Johnels AG, Plantin LO, et al:  Studies on humans exposed to methylmercury through fish consumption . Arch Environ Health 25:77-91, 1972;.
10 +
Miettinen JK:  Absorption and elimination of dietary mercury (Hg2+) and methylmercury in man , in Miller MW, Clarkson TW (eds): Mercury, Mercurials and Mercaptans . Springfield, Ill, Charles C Thomas, Publishers, 1973;.
11 +
Al-Shahristani H, Shihab KM:  Variation in biological half-life of methylmercury in man . Arch Environ Health 28:342-344, 1974;.
12 +
Giovanoli-Jakubczak T, Berg GG:  Measurement of mercury in hair . Arch Environ Health 28:139-144, 1974;.
13 +
Sumari P, Backman AL, Karli P, et al:  Hälsoundersökningar bland fiskkonsumenter i. Finland . Nord Hyg T 50:97-102, 1969;.
14 +
Tsubaki T, quoted in Evaluation of mercury, lead, cadmium and the food additives amaranth, diethylpyrocarbonate, and octyl gallate . Food additives series 4, Geneva, World Health Organization, 1972;.
15 +
Skerfving S:  Methylmercury exposure, mercury levels in blood and hair and health status of Swedes consuming contaminated fish . Toxicology 2:3-28, 1974;.
16 +
Tejning S:  International and Swedish standards concerning the mercury contents in foodstuffs in the light of the amounts present in fish, in blood corpuscles, blood plasma and hair of man . Nord Hyg T 50:103-115, 1969;.

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