METHYL-IODIDE POISONING - REPORT OF 2 CASES

Two workers were poisoned following exposure to methyl iodide with ina dequate protective devices. Their cases are presented together with a review of literature. Both patients developed symptoms and signs of ce rebellar lesions and damage of the third, fourth, or sixth cranial ner ve pathways. Spinal cord lesions producing motor and sensory disturban ces were present in one. Late psychiatric disorders were observed in b oth patients. Although these symptoms were very similar to those repor ted in the nine published cases of methyl iodide poisoning, the toxico logical diagnosis was delayed in one case: as repeated overexposure pr oduced recurrent attacks of multifocal neurological dysfunction, multi ple sclerosis was initially diagnosed, although several of the feature s observed are unusual in this disease. The manifestations of methyl i odide poisoning are similar to those of intoxication with other monoha lomethanes. All these compounds probably share the same mechanism of a ction. This mechanism and its therapeutic consequences are discussed. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.