Ontario Minamata disease

Ontario Minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. It was first discovered in the Canadian province of Ontario, in the English-Wabigoon river system during the 1970s. The disease was named after Minamata, Japan, where a similar outbreak had occurred in the 1950s.

History

The Ontario Minamata disease was first identified in the 1970s in the English-Wabigoon river system in Ontario, Canada. The disease was named after a similar outbreak in Minamata, Japan, in the 1950s. The disease was caused by the release of mercury into the river system by a local paper mill.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Ontario 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

The cause of Ontario Minamata disease is severe mercury poisoning. The mercury was released into the English-Wabigoon river system by a local paper mill, which contaminated the local fish population. The local population, including the First Nations people, consumed the contaminated fish, leading to widespread mercury poisoning.

Treatment

Treatment for Ontario Minamata disease is limited and often focuses on alleviating symptoms. In some cases, chelation therapy, a procedure that removes heavy metals from the body, may be used.

Prevention

Prevention of Ontario Minamata disease involves avoiding exposure to mercury. This can be achieved by monitoring industrial processes that can release mercury into the environment and by avoiding consumption of fish from contaminated waters.

See also

• Minamata disease
• Mercury poisoning
• Environmental health

Ontario Minamata disease Resources
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