The Toxicology of Mercury — Current Exposures and Clinical Manifestations
Published October 30, 2003
N Engl J Med 2003;349:1731-1737
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra022471
Abstract
Mercury poisoning still occurs as a result of accidental and occupational exposure. For the general population, however, the main concern is the possible adverse effect of exposure to mercury through fish consumption and the receipt of dental amalgams and thimerosal, a preservative used in vaccines. This review summarizes both the facts and the controversies surrounding exposure to methyl mercury, mercury vapor, and the ethyl mercury in thimerosal.
Notes
Supported by grants (R01 ES10219 and P30 ES01247) from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health.
We are indebted to Helena King and Joyce Morgan for assistance with the figure.
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Copyright © 2003 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.
For personal use only. Any commercial reuse of NEJM Group content requires permission.
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Published online: October 30, 2003
Published in issue: October 30, 2003
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From the Departments of Environmental Medicine (T.W.C.) and Neurology and Pediatrics (G.J.M.), University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, N.Y.; and the Medical Research Council Laboratories, Carshalton, United Kingdom (L.M.).
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