NEUROPATHY DUE TO THALLIUM POISONING - A CASE-REPORT

A 20-year-old man developed over three weeks a sensory and painful neu ropathy associated with diffuse alopecia. There was motor weakness, an d superficial and deep hypoesthesia of the inferior limbs. Deep tendon reflexes were normal. Electrophysiological study mainly showed axonal motor neuropathy. This patient was admitted six weeks after the first symptoms. The clinical picture suggested thallium poisoning, which wa s confirmed by thallium concentrations in plasma, urine, hair and nail s. After search, thallium was identified in a rat poison.