1/999. mercury toxicity due to the smelting of placer gold recovered by mercury amalgam.A 19-year-old man developed tremor in both hands and fatigue after starting work at a placer gold mine where he was exposed to mercury-gold amalgam. Examination revealed an intention tremor, dysdiadochokinesis and mild rigidity. The 24-h urinary mercury concentration reached a peak of 715 nmol/l (143 ug/l) shortly before the clinical examination, after which he was removed from working in the gold room [mercury No. Adverse Effect Level: 250 nmol/l (50 ug/l)]. On review 7 weeks later his tremor had almost resolved and the dysdiadochokinesis and rigidity had gone. The 24-h urinary mercury concentration had fallen to 160 nmol/l (32 ug/l). The principal exposure to mercury was considered to be the smelting of retorted gold with previously unrecognized residual mercury in it. The peak air concentration of mercury vapour during gold smelting was 0.533 mg/m3 (mercury Vapour ACGIH TLV: 0.05 mg/m3 TWA). Several engineering and procedural controls were instituted. This episode occurred at another mine site, unrelated to Mount Isa Mines Limited.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = ear (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/999. Fingertip dermatitis in an ophthalmologist caused by proparacaine.PURPOSE: To report the late diagnosis of allergic response to proparacaine hydrochloride in an ophthalmologist. METHOD: Case report. In a 49-year-old practicing ophthalmologist, the history, clinical findings of fingertip dermatitis, skin pathology, and skin patch testing are described. RESULTS: Proparacaine, as the initiating agent, took almost 3 years to identify because of the unusual pattern of allergy. We explored numerous treatment options before identifying and removing the offending agent. CONCLUSIONS: Ophthalmologists may be exposed to proparacaine on a daily basis. This unique report heightens the awareness of this rare work-related complication.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = ear (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/999. Occupational asthma and IgE sensitization to cellulase in a textile industry worker.BACKGROUND: Although there have been a few reports of occupational asthma due to cellulase in several occupational settings, this is the first case of cellulase-induced occupational asthma in an employee working in the textile industry. Its pathogenetic mechanism remains to be further clarified. OBJECTIVE: It is important to alert physicians to the possibility of occupational asthma caused by cellulase in workers of the textile industry. methods AND RESULTS: The patient had atopy and strong positive responses to cellulase extract on skin prick tests. Bronchoprovocation test showed an early asthmatic response to cellulase extract. serum specific IgE and specific IgG4 antibodies to cellulase were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In order to further characterize the allergenic component of the extract, sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and electroblotting studies were performed. Eight IgE binding components ranging from 6 to 97.5 kD were detected within the cellulase extract. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that inhalation of cellulase can induce IgE-mediated bronchoconstrictions in employees working in the textile industry.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = ear (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/999. radium-induced malignant tumors of the mastoid and paranasal sinuses.In the records of 5,058 persons with therapeutic or occupational exposure to radium, 21 patients with carcinoma of the mastoid and 11 with malignant tumors of the paranasal sinuses were identified. Tumor induction times were 21-50 years for mastoid tumors (median, 33) and 19-52 years for paranasal sinus tumors (median, 34). Dosimetric data are given for the patients whose body burdens of radium have been measured. We found a high proportion of mucoepidermoid carcinoma, comprising 38% of the mastoid and 36% of the paranasal sinus tumors. Three patients had antecedent bone sarcoma at 20, 11, and 5 years, respectively, and a bone sarcoma was discovered at autopsy in a fourth patient. Radiographic changes in the mastoid and paranasal sinuses were similar to those seen in nonradium malignant tumors. More than 800 known persons exposed to radium before 1930 and another group of unknown size who received radium water or injections of radium from physicians are still alive and at risk of developing malignant tumors of the mastoid and paranasal sinuses.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = ear (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/999. A unique case of vibroacoustic disease: a tribute to an extraordinary patient.This paper describes the case of a patient, Mr. A, who died in 1987. The information provided by Mr. A in life, and his insistence on making a will demanding an autopsy on his death, has given us invaluable data on Vibroacoustic disease (VAD). Mr. A was an intellectually curious man who researched the medical literature related to his condition, and compared it to his own experience. He would describe all his sensations during his many epileptic seizures. Solely because of the results of Mr. A's autopsy, new avenues of research were initiated. These have led to new concepts and exciting new perspectives on noise-induced extraaural pathology. VAD is today a well-established and easily diagnosed entity. This paper is a tribute to Mr. A, in whose honor we have an on-going commitment to establish VAD as an occupational disease, reimbursable by Worker's Compensation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = ear (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/999. Chronic toxic encephalopathy in a painter exposed to mixed solvents.This paper describes symptoms and findings in a 57-year-old painter who had been exposed to various organic solvents for over 30 years. He began to work as a painter at 16 years of age, frequently working in poorly ventilated areas; he used solvents to remove paint from the skin of his arms and hands at the end of each work shift. The patient and his family noticed impaired short-term memory function and changes in affect in his early forties, which progressed until after he stopped working and was thus no longer exposed to paints and solvents. After the patient's exposures had ended, serial neuropsychological testing revealed persistent cognitive deficits without evidence of further progression, and improvement in some domains. magnetic resonance imaging revealed global and symmetrical volume loss, involving more white than gray matter. The findings in this patient are consistent with chronic toxic encephalopathy and are differentiated from other dementing processes such as Alzheimer's disease, multi-infarct (vascular) dementia, and alcoholic dementia. Previous descriptions in the literature of persistent neurobehavioral effects associated with chronic exposure to organic solvents corroborate the findings in this case.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = ear (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/999. asbestos-related pleural disease in Western Australian gold-miners.Three retired gold-mine workers from western australia (WA) were diagnose with asbestos-related pleural disease (two with pleural plaques and one with mesothelioma). asbestos fibres have been found in air samples from WA gold-mines, and all three patients had worked in these mines (for five to 17 years) and had no other significant known asbestos exposure. To our knowledge, this is the first report of asbestos-related disease in gold-mine workers.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = ear (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/999. Occupational IgE-mediated asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and contact urticaria caused by Easter lily (lilium longiflorum) and tulip.BACKGROUND: We report on IgE-mediated asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and contact urticaria to two liliaceae plants, tulip and Easter lily (lilium longiflorum), diagnosed in a floral shop worker. methods: Occupational asthma was diagnosed according to patient history, PEF monitoring, and a work-simulating provocation test. Flower-specific IgE was studied, and RAST inhibition tests were performed. RESULTS: skin prick testing showed positive reactions to tulip, Easter lily, and chrysanthemum. Total IgE was 180 kU/I, and specific IgE to tulip was 2.6 and to Easter lily 6.5 kU/I. In the RAST-inhibition test, no cross-reactivity was found. Occupational asthma was diagnosed by peak flow monitoring at work and at home, as well as specific inhalation challenge with Easter lily, with an immediate 18% reduction in PEF. In addition, contact urticaria and conjunctivitis were diagnosed. After a 9-year follow-up without exposure to lilies, the skin prick tests to L. longiflorum and tulip were still positive, but the specific IgE had disappeared. CONCLUSIONS: A case of IgE-mediated occupational asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and contact urticaria caused by L. longiflorum and tulip is presented. RAST inhibition tests indicated concomitant sensitization to the two liliaceae plants.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = ear (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/999. Occupational neutrophilic asthma.Occupational asthma is typically associated with an eosinophilic bronchitis. The case of a 41-year-old woman who developed symptoms of asthma after occupational exposure to metal working fluids is reported. The diagnosis of asthma was confirmed by an forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) of 1.7 (59% predicted), with 11% reversibility after inhaled bronchodilator and a provocation concentration of methacholine to cause a fall in FEV1 of 20% (PC20) of 0.4 mg/mL. Induced sputum examination showed a marked neutrophilia. Over the next six months, serial sputum analyses confirmed the presence of a marked sterile neutrophilic bronchitis during periods of occupational exposure to metal working fluids, which resolved when the patient was away from work and recurred when she returned to work. The sputum findings were mirrored by corresponding changes in spirometry and PC20 methacholine. The findings indicate the occurrence of occupational asthma associated with an intense, sterile neutrophilic bronchitis after exposure to metal working fluids.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = ear (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/999. Acute respiratory distress syndrome in a welder exposed to metal fumes.A 43-year-old man began having malaise, chills, and fever 12 hours after cutting a galvanized steel grating with an acetylene torch at work. Over the next 72 hours, his symptoms persisted and became worse with progressive shortness of breath. He was admitted to the hospital and begun on antibiotics and steroids. The next day his condition had deteriorated to the point that he had to be intubated. Chest x-ray film and computed tomography showed patchy and interstitial infiltration bilaterally, consistent with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Open lung biopsy showed focal mild interstitial pneumonia. Multiple laboratory studies were negative for an infectious or an immune process. The patient remained on mechanical ventilation for 10 days and was discharged from the hospital 2 days after extubation. He continued to improve, with minimal symptoms and a return to normal activity levels several months after the incident with no continued treatment. Re-creation of his exposure was done under controlled circumstances, with air sampling revealing elevated air levels for cadmium and zinc and borderline levels of arsenic, manganese, lead, and iron.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = ear (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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