Mercury poisoning (minamata syndrome) 7

General: Both sexes affected; onset several weeks or months 121i85b after ingestion of fish from contaminated water or animals fed with contaminated grain; symptoms may be mild to severe.

Ocular: Constriction of visual fields; blindness.

Clinical: Paresthesia of mouth, tongue, and extremity; hearing loss; asthenia; fatigue; inability to concentrate; dysarthria; tremors; persistent vegetative state; peripheral neuropathy; cerebella ataxia; gait disturbance; sensory impairment; anosmia; loss of taste; bladder disturbance; mental deterioration.

Magalini SI, Scrascia E. Dictionary of Medical Syndromes, 2nd ed. Philadelphia: JB Lippincott, 1981.

Takeuchi T, et al. Neuropathology of childhood cases of methylmercury poisoning (Minamata disease) with prolonged symptoms, with particular reference to the decortication syndrome. Neurotoxicology 1979; 1:1-20.