Basophilic stippling is seen in poisoning with-
Correct Answer: Lead
Description: Chronic lead poisoning (plumbism or saturnism)
It is characterized by -
i. Facial pallor particularly around the mouth is one of the earliest and most consistent features.
ii. Anemia with punctate basophilia (basophilic stippling) is also an early feature.
There is reticulocytosis, poikilocytosis, anisocytosis, sideroblasts and eosinophilia.
iii. Burtonian line (stippled blue line) is seen on the gums on upper jaw.
iv. Colic abdominal pain and constipation (dry belly ache): is a late manifestation.
v. Encephalopathy is more in children and in poisoning with tetraethyl lead.
vi. Paralysis in the form of wrist and foot drop is a late manifestation, called lead palsy and is due to peripheral neuropathy. It occurs only in less than 10% of cases.
vii. Renovascular manifestations (nephropathy): Hypertension, arteriolar degeneration and arteriosclerotic nephritis may occur. Rarely, lead poisoning may cause proximal tubular necrosis.
viii. Other features include optic atrophy, CVS and reproductive anomalies.
Category:
Forensic Medicine
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