Intoxication, pathological

Because alcohol intoxication may be simulated by many pathologic conditions, including diabetic acidosis, the postconvulsive depression of epilepsy, uremia, head injuries, and poisonings by any other central nervous depressant and some stimulants (280), a diagnosis of acute alcoholism should not be made casually chemical testing of blood, urine, or expired air is always desirable. 

Warner, R.P., Peterson, K.K., and Borgman, L. (1966). Behavioural pathology in fish a quantitative study of sublethal pesticide intoxication. In Pesticides in the Environment and Their Effects on Wildlife. N.W. Moore (Ed.) Journal of Applied Ecology 3 (Supplement), 223-248. 

No data were found on the effects of silver compounds on avian or mammalian wildlife. All controlled studies with silver were with domestic poultry, livestock, or small laboratory mammals. Signs of chronic silver ion intoxication in tested birds and mammals included cardiac enlargement, vascular hypertension, hepatic necrosis, anemia, lowered immunological activity, altered membrane permeability, kidney pathology, enzyme inhibition, growth retardation, and a shortened life span (Smith and Carson 1977 Freeman 1979 Fowler and Nordberg 1986 USPHS 1990). 

Gray, R.E., R.D. Gilliland, E.E. Smith, V.G. Lockard, and A.S. Hume. 1985. Pentachlorophenol intoxication report of a fatal case, with comments on the clinical course and pathologic anatomy. Arch. Environ. Health 40 161-164. 

A striking phenomenon which probably involves biochemical individuality is that of pathological intoxication. Occasionally an individual, who may be a habitual drinker or not, is afflicted. In a typical case the individual goes berserk and may commit all sorts of crimes and cause damage to property. After a subsequent long sleep he has no memory of his acts.9 This very special type of drunkenness is not caused by any special type of alcohol or necessarily by large amounts it fortunately happens only rarely, and involves only a few individuals. Whether certain individuals are peculiarly susceptible and have repeated typical attacks (these would be classed, no doubt, as alcoholic psychotics) is not clear in any event only certain rare individuals ever are in such a condition as to be susceptible. 

It appears likely that the term "pathological intoxication" may be applied only to extremely acute cases, and that less acute examples of essentially the same disease exist without getting special notice. It is well known that the effect of alcohol on different individuals is often characteristic some become drowsy, some sad, some happy, some pugnacious. Pathological intoxication may occur in certain individuals, whose make-up predisposes to it, when they are in a particular metabolic and endocrine state. 

Toxicoses from pine needles have been reported in field cases, but are rare and have only occurred in pregnant cattle. No toxicity other than abortion in cattle has been demonstrated from ICA or ICA derivatives. However, the abietane-type resin acids in ponderosa pine needles (concentrated in new growth pine tips) have been shown to be toxic, but not abortifacient at high doses, when administered orally to cattle, goats, and hamsters. Pathological evaluations of intoxicated animals includes nephrosis, edema of the CNS, myonecrosis, and gastroenteritis (Stegelmeier et al., 1996). While abietane-type resin acids may contribute to the occasional toxicoses reported in the field, they do not contribute to the abortions. Most cow losses in the field are associated with difficult parturition or post abortion toxemia due to retained fetal membranes. 

Hernandez AF, Martin-Rubi JC, Ballesteros JL, et al Clinical and pathological findings in fatal 1,3-dichloropropene intoxication. Hum Exp Toxicol 13 303-306,1994... 

A.M. Mosunov and A.V. Pozdnyakov used Enterosgel for acceleration of regression of hepato-depressive syndrome in patients with severe diffuse liver pathology, and reported shortened terms of disability of these patients from 29.4 3.8 to 18.3 2.4 days [81], A.B. Kaydulov and I.V. Vasilenko observed fast reduction of toxic and abstinent events as well as improved functional state of the Uver and decreased requirement for transfusion therapy in patients with alcoholic intoxication and in patients with abstinence syndrome of moderate severity, treated with Enterosgel [82]. 

There are three pathological conditions that are characterized by increased proto-porphyin in erythrocytes Iron deficiency, lead intoxication, and erythropoietic protoporphyria. 

In most cases, the capacity of chelating agents to prevent or reduce the adverse effects of toxic metals appears to be greatest when they are administered very soon after an acute metal exposure. Use of chelating agents days to weeks after an acute metal exposure ends—or their use in the treatment of chronic metal intoxication—may still be associated with increased metal excretion. However, at that point, the capacity of such enhanced excretion to mitigate the pathologic effect of the metal exposure may be reduced. 

A variety of pathological changes of the liver occur with repeated exposures of rats, rabbits,guinea pigs and dogs to PCE. Hepatotoxicity is increased in rats pretreated with aroclor or phenobarbital. This observation as well as the urinary excretion of chlorinated metabolites points to the liver as a probable oxidation site (ref. 67). In man, acute intoxication has generally resulted from industrial degreasing operations. 

Ferraro A, Jervis GA, English WH. 1938. Pathological changes in the brain in cases of experimental phosphorus intoxication. Psychiatr Q 12 294-305. 

Q7 The total serum calcium concentration is normally about 9.5 mg dl 1. Approximately half of this is bound to plasma protein, mostly to albumin. Most of the remainder is unbound or ionized calcium, which is the physiologically and clinically important form. Hypercalcaemia, normally defined as a serum concentration of >12 mgdl-1, may sometimes be caused by excessive consumption of calcium in the diet. More important pathologically is malignant disease. Hypercalcaemia occurs when there are bone metastases associated with breast or prostate cancer. However, many tumours can produce a PTH-like protein causing elevated serum calcium levels. Furthermore, intoxication and immobilization of vitamin D or excess vitamin D may also cause hypercalcaemia. 

---