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Acute Elemental Mercury Poisoning Masquerading as Fever and Rash

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Abstract

This is a case series of 3 children from a single family who developed symptomatic elemental mercury poisoning requiring hospitalization and chelation. The mercury exposure primarily occurred in the home but the mercury was also tracked to one of their schools requiring environmental cleanup at both the home and school. The clinical assessment and management, as well as public health investigation and response, are discussed. There are many lessons learned in this difficult, often delayed, diagnosis. Early recognition of this environmental toxic exposure is essential. Communication between the clinicians and public health officials played a critical role. Public education prevented panic. Proper environmental sampling, and assessment and management of those exposed, were a few of the many challenges faced in this complicated case series.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    Amy C. Young, Paul M. Wax, Sing-Yi Feng & Kurt C. Kleinschmidt

  2. Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

    Jhonny E. Ordonez

Authors
  1. Amy C. Young
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  2. Paul M. Wax
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  3. Sing-Yi Feng
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  4. Kurt C. Kleinschmidt
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  5. Jhonny E. Ordonez
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Correspondence to Amy C. Young.

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Consent for publication of this case was obtained with the assistance of a Spanish interpreter and provided to the journal in accordance with JMT policy.

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Supervising Editor: Mark B. Mycyk, MD

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Young, A.C., Wax, P.M., Feng, SY. et al. Acute Elemental Mercury Poisoning Masquerading as Fever and Rash. J. Med. Toxicol. 16, 470–476 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-020-00792-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-020-00792-6

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