BACKGROUND Up to 70% of young Nigerian children have been reported to have blood lead concentrations > or =10 microg/dl. AIMS To better elucidate risk factors for lead toxicity among Nigerian families with children at risk for lead toxicity. METHODS Two geographic wards in Jos, Nigeria were selected for study, one previously reported to have a high mean blood lead level (37 (SD 13) microg/d...

Lead poisoning has been recognized as a major public health risk, particularly in developing countries. Though various occupational and public health measures have been undertaken in order to control lead exposure, cases of lead poisoning are still reported. Exposure to lead produces various deleterious effects on the hematopoietic, renal, reproductive and central nervous system, mainly through...

Use of traditional folkloric remedies not disclosed to the physician may be difficult to identify as a source of lead toxicity. This report illustrates the presentation of a 26-year-old man who, during his 1 month vacation in India, was treated for low back pain with Ayurvedic herbal medicine. On his return to the USA, he presented to the emergency department with epigastric pain, weight loss, ...

Although the neurotoxic effects of lead (Pb) are well documented, the subcellular mechanisms of its action in the central nervous system are not fully understood. The present work examined some parameters of energy metabolism in nerve endings of the brains of adult rats exposed to Pb. We applied the model of acute Pb toxicity in vivo, imitating the acute action of lead observed in occupationall...

During the past two decades, scientific interest and public health concern have shifted their focus from issues connected with overt clinical lead disease to the detection of subtle clinical and biochemical abberations.' This has brought about a change in the thinking on the health risks that are associated with lead toxicity.23 Although major emphasis has been set on lead hazards among pediatr...

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are toxic heavy metals that cause adverse health effects in humans and animals. Chelation therapy, the conventional treatment for heavy metal toxicity, is reported to have a number of safety and efficacy issues. Recent studies have shown that dietary supplements play important roles in protecting against Cd and Pb toxicity. This paper reviews the evidence for protecti...

Lead and mercury have been reported to alter selectively the rod component of the electroretinogram, and to inhibit the phosphodiesterase in rod outer segments which may be responsible for generating the rods' light response. The authors have investigated the effect of lead and mercury on the voltage response to light of rods, and compared these effects with those of the phosphodiesterase inhib...

The toxicity of lead (Pb) to fungi in pure culture was influenced by several abiotic factors: pH, inorganic anions, clay minerals, and particulate (humic acid) and soluble organic matter. The toxicity of Pb was potentiated under acidic conditions (pH 5 and 6), and phosphate or carbonate anions reduced the toxicity, apparently as a result of the formation of sparingly soluble Pb salts. Clay mine...

In 1984, a 56-year-old house painter developed intractable pain in his back and other joints. After several unrevealing medical work-ups, he was found to have a high blood lead level (122 microg/dL); he has a history of scraping and sanding lead paint without adequate protective measures. The patient was hospitalized and chelated with EDTA four times over the next 5 years; each time he felt bet...

Environmental lead contamination lingers despite decades of sharply declining use and release of the metal. As a consequence, low-level lead exposure remains common, with an average adult blood lead level in the general U.S. population of 1–2 μg/dL. Lead affects numerous organ systems, but specific mechanisms of damage are not always known. The authors of a new study in EHP present a hypothesis...