title: Peripheral polyneuropathy due to chronic use of topical ammoniated mercury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite their potentially disastrous side effects, topical mercury salts can still be found as ingredients in some over-the-counter preparations or local remedies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral polyneuropathy as a result of chronic ammoniated mercury poisoning was studied and followed over 2 years. A 36-year-old man developed peripheral polyneuropathy following chronic perianal use of an ammoniated mercury ointment. Highly elevated blood and urine mercury levels were found. Sural nerve biopsy showed mixed axonal degeneration-demyelination. There was progressive improvement of his symptoms over 2 years but neurophysiological examination revealed incomplete recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The availability of safer drugs should result in a complete ban of these dangerous compounds.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khod, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. deleu@gto.net.om
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deleu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hanssens
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: al-Salmy
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hastie
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000641:Ammonia / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D000641:Ammonia; D008628:Mercury; C028431:mercuric chloride, ammoniated