...CASE STUDY 1 – THE CHILDREN WITH LEAD POISONING A physician working for the US Public Health Service moves to Los Angeles to assume the directorship of an inner-city health care facility for the disadvantaged. Over a period of time, she notices that an unusually large number of children brought to clinic are experiencing joint pain, difficulty walking and excessive salivation. Some have had seizures. Also many of their parents note that the children’s personalities have changed, with normally outgoing children becoming shy and withdrawn. The physician decides to investigate the situation and contacts the CDC, which sends an epidemiologist to assist her. They obtain more complete medical histories for 15 children, ranging from 6-15 years of age and perform blood and urine tests on each. In addition to the signs and symptoms already noted, the children frequently report numbness and tingling in their limbs; they perform poorly on hearing, vision and intelligence tests; their lab results how reduced RBC counts and traces of lead in blood and urine. All of these children live in the same housing project, play together in the same neighborhood and contribute a little to the family finances by salvaging scrap metal from a closed manufacturing plant nearby and selling it to recyclers. When the epidemiologist inspects the site, he finds paint peeling from the factory walls and dust on the floor composed in large part of pulverized paint chips. Analysis of the paint chips and dust...
Words: 1216 - Pages: 5
...1. In this case lead poisoning form the factory walls 2. The risk factors in this case study are where the people lived and the financial circumstances they faced. 3. Lead is not a toxin. 4. None of the people in this story exhibit an idiopathic lead poisoning because the cause for every case of lead poisoning is known 5. Yes a syndrome is a collection of signs, symptoms, and degenerative processes that occur together in a particular disease. In this case the children show symptoms of joint pain, excessive salivating, seizures, and personality changes all around the same time. 6. In this case the histopathology became relevant when test were taken of patients blood and urine. 7. Morbidity: insufficient information. In this case there are certainly a high number of children who had lead poisoning however I assume it would depend on the population of the area there could be a lot more people than we think there was. Mortality: insufficient information. In this case death of any child ,due the lead poisoning, was neither mentioned or studied thus I must conclude that the mortality was low. Prevalence: Yes. The case it self’s says that the Prevalence of lead poisoning is high. Of the 112 children examined during the course of the study, over 70 show at least some signs and symptoms. Incidence: Yes. In this case the physician noticed an unusually large number of children brought to the clinic experiencing the same symptoms over a period of time, and until...
Words: 459 - Pages: 2
...1 Introduction to Clinical Applications Objectives In this chapter we will study • various approaches to the study of disease; • the role of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; • common causes of disease; • the distinction between signs and symptoms of disease; • terms used to describe the time course of a disease; and • common abbreviations for medical specialists and specialties. Homeostasis and Disease The body’s tendency to maintain internal stability is called homeostasis. Examples include the body’s relatively stable temperature, blood glucose concentration, hormone levels, acid-base balance, and electrolyte balance. When physiological variables deviate too much from their set point, the body activates negative feedback loops that tend to restore stability and maintain health. In some cases, such as the stoppage of bleeding, positive feedback loops are activated to bring about rapid change. If the attempt to regain homeostasis fails, disease results. There is a strong emphasis in medicine today on promoting wellness through prevention. However, this manual focuses on what happens when prevention fails, homeostasis is disrupted, and disease occurs. The Study of Disease Disease (illness) is any deviation from normal that interferes with correct, life-sustaining bodily function. Literally, the word means dis-ease, the opposite of ease (comfort and normal function). Disease may have underlying structural foundations, such as a broken bone, and its...
Words: 3427 - Pages: 14
...Literature Review Background on Lead Lead is a naturally occurring metal found in small amounts (0.002%) throughout the earth’s surface and deep beneath the ground (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2014; Environmental Protection Agency, 2014; World Health Organization, 2010). It is described as a heavy, low melting, and bluish-gray metal (Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry, 2007). The toxicity of lead has been known ever since Roman times (WHO, 2010), when a Greek physician and poet, Nicander, described it as “gleaming, deadly white lead” (Needleman, 2009, p. 235) and, Dioscorides, a physician of Nero, described “lead makes the mind give away” (Needleman, 2009, p. 235). World Health Organization cites (Eisinger,...
Words: 2164 - Pages: 9
...Touro University International BHE314 Module 4 Case: Environmental Health and Safety Lead is a naturally occurring metal found in the earth's crust. Lead can be found everywhere, because of human activities such as burning fossil fuels, mining, and manufacturing. Lead is a soft, heavy, toxic metal. Lead is found in many products we use every day, it is even found in toys. It is also in the paint in many houses and in some dirt and dust. Lead Poisoning means having lead in the body in an amount that can cause serious health and development problems. It is much more dangerous for children than adults because it affects kids’ developing brains and nervous systems. The younger the child, the more harm lead can cause. Lead can cause serious health effects: kidney problems, anemia, hearing loss, development delay and growth problems. The only way to know for sure if you have lead poisoning is to have blood test. People who are most at risk of harmful effects from lead in their body include (Risk Factor, 2010): Babies and children under 6 years of age. Infants and young children are more likely to be exposed to lead than are older children. They may chew paint chips, and their hands may be contaminated with lead dust. Young children also absorb lead more easily and sustain more harm from it than do adults and older children. Children living in older homes. Although the use of lead-based paints has been banned since the 1970s, older homes and buildings...
Words: 1231 - Pages: 5
...Krystal Treadwell May 7, 2014 Week 7 assignment 1 Environmental Issues The lead poisoned candy scare put fear in hundreds of parents as well as costing the many different companies thousands of dollars. Lead has been found in some consumer candies imported from Mexico. Certain candy ingredients such as chili powder and tamarind may be a source of lead exposure. Lead sometimes gets into the candy when processes such as drying, storing, and grinding the ingredients are done improperly. Also, lead has been found in the wrappers of some imported candies. The ink of these plastic or paper wrappers may contain lead that leaches into the candy. Most domestic and imported candies already meet the stricter lead threshold. However, the FDA moved to lower the limit from an earlier half a part per million after the sampling of dozens of types of candies imported from Mexico and after information from other sources revealed additional ingredients used in some sweets can boost the lead content beyond allowable levels. Government tests had documented 102 candies with levels between 0.2 and 0.49 parts per million lead and 159 candies even higher, starting in 1993. In children, acute exposure to very high levels of lead may produce encephalopathy and other accompanying signs of * ataxia * coma * convulsions * death * hyperirritability * stupor The BLLs associated with encephalopathy in children vary from study to study, but BLLs of 70-80 µg/dL or greater appear to indicate...
Words: 923 - Pages: 4
...Although according to the CDC 2015, There are between 10 thousand and 20 thousand pesticide poisoning cases yearly among farm workers, the exact number of workers in the U.S. affected by pesticides is unknown as California and Washington are the only states that mandate reporting of pesticide poisoning, in addition to the huge proportion of migrant farm workers that rarely seek medical care. Pesticide poisoning in general can causes acute or chronic health effects. The acute effects include headache, nausea, shortness of breath, seizures or even death (Calvert et al., 2008), while the chronic effects include neurological, respiratory, reproductive and cognitive. Most far workers do not know which pesticide they have been exposed to and most of them do not realize that they were poisoned as some of the symptoms are similar to...
Words: 2931 - Pages: 12
...Adulterants added to reduce the amount of expensive product in illicit drugs are called cutting agents. Deliberate addition of toxic adulterants to food or other products for human consumption is poisoning. In food and beverages[edit] Past and present examples of adulteration, some dangerous, include: Roasted chicory roots used as an adulterant for coffee Diethylene glycol, used dangerously by some winemakers in sweet wines Apple jellies (jams), as substitutes for more expensive fruit jellies, with added colorant and sometimes even specks of wood that simulate raspberry or strawberry seeds Water, for diluting milk and alcoholic beverages Cutting agents used to adulterate (or "cut") illicit drugs—for example, shoe polish in hashish, amphetamines in ecstasy, lactose in cocaine Urea, melamine and other nonprotein nitrogen sources, added to protein products to inflate crude protein content measurements[1] High fructose corn syrup or cane sugar, used to adulterate honey Water or brine injected into chicken, pork, or other meats to increase their weight[2] History[edit] Historically, the use of adulterants has been common; sometimes dangerous substances have been used. In the United Kingdom during the Victorian era, adulterants were common; for example, cheeses were sometimes colored with lead....
Words: 1306 - Pages: 6
...Case Study Title Environmental Toxicology Case Summary 3 Mount Isa Children were found to have excessive (2-3 times more than the international safety limit) of lead in their blood causing permanent neurological damage. An inquiry into environmental lead exposure was conducted against Xstrata’s Mount Isa Mines Ltd lead emittance, who firmly stand that the lead was “naturally occurring” and not a consequence of mining. As subsequent years follow, more children are found to have dangerous lead levels in their blood, raising more suspicion, but Queensland Health and Xstrata are turning a blind eye to the concern. Suspected toxic substance Common name is Lead, the trade name is Plumbum, and CAS number is 7439-92-1 Chemical properties: reactive...
Words: 1848 - Pages: 8
...provides current information about the major known agents that cause foodborne illness. The information provided in this handbook is abbreviated and general in nature, and is intended for practical use. It is not intended to be a comprehensive scientific or clinical reference. Under the laws administered by FDA, a food is adulterated if it contains (1) a poisonous or otherwise harmful substance that is not an inherent natural constituent of the food itself, in an amount that poses a reasonable possibility of injury to health, or (2) a substance that is an inherent natural constituent of the food itself; is not the result of environmental, agricultural, industrial, or other contamination; and is present in an amount that ordinarily renders the food injurious to health. The first includes, for example, a toxin produced by a fungus that has contaminated a food, or a pathogenic bacterium or virus, if the amount present in the food may be injurious to health. An example of the second is the tetrodotoxin that occurs naturally in some organs of some types of pufferfish and that ordinarily will make the fish injurious to health. In either case, foods adulterated with these agents are prohibited from being introduced, or offered for introduction, into interstate commerce. Our scientific understanding of pathogenic microorganisms and their toxins is continually advancing....
Words: 91823 - Pages: 368
...Michigan was declared in a state of emergency after it was discovered that the city’s water contained dangerous amounts of lead. After a switch in water supply in April 2014, the number of children in Flint with elevated lead levels in their blood nearly doubled from 2013 to 2015 (Newland 2016). The Flint water crisis attracted national attention and led to a class-action lawsuit filed by city residents. Many Americans were shocked that the land of opportunity could fail the residents of Flint so badly. Many also pointed out that such a problem would not be likely in a more affluent area of the United States. While the United States is not lacking in quality water, the infrastructure delivering water...
Words: 874 - Pages: 4
...2 Poli 3256 Area Studies: Russia November 3, 2010 By: Zac Gore The Health of Russian Society and a look into Healthcare Summary It’s the end of 2007 and there are still many issues to address when it comes to the health of Russians and health care itself. HIV/AIDS continues to hover at epidemic levels, alcoholism is a country wide problem and death by alcohol poisoning is still on the rise in some areas. Over half of the deaths in Russia are caused by heart problems but the funding for treatment remains insufficient. Russia leads the world in the prevalence of smoking and has yet to sign the World Health Organizations anti-smoking convention. Health care facilities fail to meet fire and safety norms with things like faulty electric power systems and unsatisfactory fire evacuation requirements. Drug addiction continues to be a problem and over 90 percent of the heroin coming into the country is from Afghanistan. Some other noteworthy concerns are the appearances of avian (bird) flu throughout the country and the large number of tuberculosis cases including ones that are drug resistant. However there are some positive trends that have developed. Within the next few years about 30,000 young HIV patients are slated to receive therapy. Drug use is not as prevalent as it was several years ago and increases in drug addiction have ended. The health of Russian conscripts is improving as well compared with the last several years. Introduction 1. Alcoholism and alcohol...
Words: 1442 - Pages: 6
...TOP TEN CAUSES OF POISONING Section 2-D |Roña, Diandra Krystle B. | |Rosales, Aileen L. | |Rosaura, Franz D. | |Roxas, Marie Florence S. | |Rubio, Hannah Alexis O. | |Rugay, Jesus Emmanuel R. | February 1, 2012 POISONING Poisons are substances that cause disturbances in living organisms and do so by some biologic or chemical reaction in nature. For decades, the use of different substances for various applications lead to the discovery of potential toxic substances that may have caused injurious effects. Poisoning commonly occurs thru ingestion and usually, it was unintentional. Acute toxicity is the single exposure or multiple exposures for short periods to the substance causing the injury. Symptoms may be rapid and are in close relation to the toxic agent. On the other hand, chronic toxicity are caused by repeated or multiple exposure for longer periods to the poison. Signs and symptoms of chronic toxicity may appear even after several years upon the initial exposure. ADULT TOP TEN TOXICITIES 1. CAUSTICS Caustics are strong acids and alkali that when ingested can cause tissue injury by chemical reaction. They damage the tissues by accepting a proton (alkaline substance)...
Words: 5039 - Pages: 21
...INDIVIDUAL CASE STUDY PRESENTATION ON MATTEL This is an ‘open-book’ presentation that is designed to assess your ability to apply the essential theories, principles and techniques of supply chain and operations management to a realistic business situation. The questions will draw on material from the other modules in the MSc Supply Chain Management programme. You will be expected to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of relevant theoretical principles, concepts and techniques; to apply these appropriately to the particular situation described in the case study and; above all, to make sound decisions. You will not gain marks by presenting a general essay on the topic. Please note that all work should be your own. Copying or plagiarism will not be tolerated and could result in no marks being awarded. If quotes or short extracts are used they should be attributed or the source of the information identified. Play Fair The core values of Mattel, the world’s largest, branded toy manufacturer, appeared on its company website, and on its literature, under the heading ‘Play Fair’: “Act with unwavering integrity on all occasions. Treat each other with respect and dignity. Trust each other to make the right decisions. Be accountable for all that passes in front of us.” In 2007 these values would be put to the test as never before, when it was discovered that substantial numbers of Mattel branded toys had been contaminated with lead paint with global signature...
Words: 8284 - Pages: 34
... ACKNOWLEDMENTS This thesis is yet another landmark achievement in my academic history. Yet, truth be told, I believe the completion of the same would not be possible it had to be for the incessant and unconditional help from different persons, physical and moral. My highest appreciation goes to my beloved mother Mrs. palacidia UWIZEYIMANA and my former headmaster, Etienne UWAGIWABO, my uncles, my friends Philip NSENGUWERA, Felix BIZINDA, brother and sisters for all the support and encouragement. I also appreciate the government of Rwanda for the support of financing my studies and Rwanda Tourism University College for the academic supports. Heartfelt thanks go to Dr TOMBOLA M. Gustave,PhD who devoted his precious time to the supervision of this work. His continuous suggestions, critics and expert guidance made this study a success. I also express my sincere gratitude to my Relatives from whom I have benefited more with their guidance, suggestions, discussions and comments without which I could not have managed to complete this research. I wish to extend my...
Words: 11801 - Pages: 48
