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Acute mercury vapor poisoning in a 3-month-old infant: A case report
Zhenyan Gao1, Xiaolan Ying1, Jin Yan1
1Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Insights
Acute mercury vapor poisoning in infants presents with severe respiratory distress and rapid progression. Chelation therapy using sodium dimercaptosulphonate (DMPS) effectively treated a 3-month-old infant with pneumothoraces.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Acute mercury vapor poisoning is a severe condition in infants.
- Inhalation exposure can lead to rapid respiratory deterioration.
- Clinical manifestations include pneumothoraces and aspiration pneumonias.
Observation:
- A 3-month-old infant presented with respiratory failure and pneumothoraces.
- The infant had a history of several hours of exposure to mercury vapor.
- The patient was treated with sodium dimercaptosulphonate (DMPS).
Findings:
- Pulmonary disease in this case was primarily due to inhaled mercury vapor.
- The infant experienced acute respiratory distress, pneumothorax, and chemical pneumonitis.
- Treatment with DMPS resulted in a positive clinical response.
Implications:
- Highlights the critical risk of mercury vapor exposure in infants.
- Emphasizes the need for prompt diagnosis and intervention in pediatric mercury poisoning.
- Demonstrates the efficacy of chelation therapy in managing severe mercury-induced pulmonary disease in neonates.
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.
