Niigata Minamata disease
| Niigata Minamata disease | |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | Methylmercury poisoning |
| Pronounce | N/A |
| Specialty | N/A |
| Symptoms | Ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision, hearing impairment, speech impairment, tremors, mental disturbances |
| Complications | Cerebral palsy, developmental delays in children exposed in utero |
| Onset | Symptoms can appear weeks to months after exposure |
| Duration | Chronic |
| Types | N/A |
| Causes | Methylmercury exposure |
| Risks | Consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish |
| Diagnosis | Clinical diagnosis based on symptoms and history of exposure, blood and urine tests for mercury levels |
| Differential diagnosis | Minamata disease, Hunter-Russell syndrome, other forms of mercury poisoning |
| Prevention | Avoiding consumption of contaminated seafood, monitoring and regulation of industrial discharges |
| Treatment | Chelation therapy, supportive care |
| Medication | N/A |
| Prognosis | Variable; some symptoms may be irreversible |
| Frequency | Rare, localized to areas with industrial mercury pollution |
| Deaths | Not specified |
Niigata Minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. It was first discovered in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, in 1965. The disease is named after Minamata Bay in Kumamoto Prefecture, where a similar outbreak occurred in 1956.
Symptoms[edit | edit source]
The symptoms of Niigata Minamata disease include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision and damage to hearing and speech. In extreme cases, insanity, paralysis, coma and death follow within weeks of the onset of symptoms.
Cause[edit | edit source]
The disease was caused by the release of methylmercury in the industrial wastewater from a factory. This highly toxic chemical bioaccumulated in shellfish and fish in Minamata Bay and the Shiranui Sea, which, when eaten by the local populace, resulted in mercury poisoning.
History[edit | edit source]
The outbreak of Niigata Minamata disease and the resultant political and legal battles marked a turning point in Japanese society, leading to changes in the relationship between environmental pollution and public health, and to new laws and agencies dedicated to environmental issues.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
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