[Lead poisoning in two families from a car battery workshop]

Lead poisoning resulting from exposure to lead in a domestic car battery workshop is reported in 10 children in 2 families. 2 girls, aged 2 10/12 and 1 8/12 years, respectively, from 1 of the families were hospitalized for investigation of nausea, vomiting, progressive muscular weakness and peripheral neuropathy. Serum lead levels were 52 and 49 mcg/dl, respectively. Subsequent screening of all members of this family, as well as those of the other family who lived in the same house, revealed abnormally elevated levels of serum lead in all the members of both families. The 2 girls were treated with chelating agents and improved clinically and their serum lead levels decreased to 29 and 34 mcg/dl, respectively. The domestic workshop was closed and the 2 families moved to another neighborhood. These cases illustrate the need to screen all family members and contacts of patients with lead poisoning, as well as the hazards of the uncontrolled use of lead in domestic workshops.