Manganese intoxication

We have reported two cases of chronic manganese poisoning. Case 1 followed exposure to manganese fumes in cutting and burning manganese steel. Case 2 resulted from exposure to dusts of manganese dioxide, an ingredient used in glazing of ceramics. There were initial difficulties in establishing the correct diagnosis. Prominent clinical features were severe and persistent chronic depressive psychosis (Case 1), transient acute brain syndrome (Case 2) and the presence of various extrapyramidal symptoms in both cases. Manganese intoxication has not previously been reported as occurring in California. With increasing use of the metal, the disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of neurologic and psychiatric disease. Our observations were made in the period 1964 through 1968. Recently the prognosis of victims of manganese poisoning has been improved dramatically by the introduction of levodopa as a therapeutic agent.