Niigata Minamata disease

Niigata Minamata disease
Synonyms	Methylmercury poisoning
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision, hearing impairment, speech impairment, tremors, mental disturbances
Complications	Cerebral palsy, developmental delays in children exposed in utero
Onset	Symptoms can appear weeks to months after exposure
Duration	Chronic
Types	N/A
Causes	Methylmercury exposure
Risks	Consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish
Diagnosis	Clinical diagnosis based on symptoms and history of exposure, blood and urine tests for mercury levels
Differential diagnosis	Minamata disease, Hunter-Russell syndrome, other forms of mercury poisoning
Prevention	Avoiding consumption of contaminated seafood, monitoring and regulation of industrial discharges
Treatment	Chelation therapy, supportive care
Medication	N/A
Prognosis	Variable; some symptoms may be irreversible
Frequency	Rare, localized to areas with industrial mercury pollution
Deaths	Not specified

Niigata Minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. It was first discovered in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, in 1965. The disease is named after Minamata Bay in Kumamoto Prefecture, where a similar outbreak occurred in 1956.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Niigata Minamata disease include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision and damage to hearing and speech. In extreme cases, insanity, paralysis, coma and death follow within weeks of the onset of symptoms.

Cause

The disease was caused by the release of methylmercury in the industrial wastewater from a factory. This highly toxic chemical bioaccumulated in shellfish and fish in Minamata Bay and the Shiranui Sea, which, when eaten by the local populace, resulted in mercury poisoning.

History

The outbreak of Niigata Minamata disease and the resultant political and legal battles marked a turning point in Japanese society, leading to changes in the relationship between environmental pollution and public health, and to new laws and agencies dedicated to environmental issues.

See also

• Minamata disease
• Mercury poisoning
• Environmental issues in Japan

References

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