[Cognitive sequelae of acute hydrogen sulphide poisoning. A case report].
BACKGROUND
Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) is a highly toxic, colorless gas smelling of rotten eggs. It is used in several industries and is a product of many industrial processes such as oil refining, mining and rayon manufacture. Acute, non fatal H2S intoxication at a concentration of 500 ppm, for few minutes, is followed by brain damage characterised by both immediate and permanent neurobehavioural deficits.


OBJECTIVE
The present study describes the neurobehavioral effects of acute, non-fatal H2S intoxication in a healthy 36-year-old male at the workplace.


METHODS
Three months after the acute poisoning, the subject was examined via a neurological examination, neuropsychological tests (Mini Mental State, Verbal Span Test, Digit Span Test, Bourdon-Wiersma Dot Cancellation Test, Benton Visual Retention Test, Somatognosia, Simple Visual Reaction Time, Simple Acoustic Reaction Time), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and Single Photon Emission Tomography (SPET).


RESULTS
The results showed a reduction of cognitive capabilities, depressive symptoms and personality changes even through the results of neurological examination and neuroimaging techniques were unremarkable.


CONCLUSIONS
Neuropsychological testing is a key issue in neurotoxicology assessment, because conventional neurology has been shown to be insensitive to the chemical neurotoxic effects and neuroimaging techniques are often unclear.
Fenga
C
C
Dipartimento di Medicina Sociale e del Territorio, Sezione di Medicina del Lavoro, Università degli Studi di Messina. germanod@imeuniv.unime.it
Cacciola
A
A
Micali
E
E
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000506:poisoning*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000506:poisoning*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide