Clinical Notes
Chemical Pneumonia And Dermatitis Caused By Kerosene Hydrocarbons cause poisoning in humans through ingestion and 1-8 but usually not by inhaaspiration, lation. Inhalation of kerosene as a cause of pneumonitis is reported in 9,10 We present a case of animals. pneumonia combined with contact dermatitis caused by kerosene inhalation as a consequence of an unusual use of this substance as folk medicine for upper respiratory tract infection. Case
Report
A 3 1/2-year-old boy was admitted to the emergency room because of progressive coughing and pain in the right arm. Initial physical examination revealed a well-developed child with a weight of 13 kg. Rectal temperature was 36.8°C. Diffuse rhonchi and rales were noted in both lung fields. Red, burnlike lesions 5 cm x 5 cm with small vesicles were noted on his right arm. The rest of his physical and neurologic examination was normal. Laboratory results included: erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 45 mm/hr, hemoglobin ll.l g/dL, hematocrit 36%, and white blood cell count of 5,300/cu mm. Urinalysis was normal. Culture from the vesicles was negative for bacteria and viruses. A chest radiograph showed left lower lobe pneumonia with possible bilateral interstitial
pneumonitis.
causes
dermatitis due to kerosene inhalation is a unique complication of this hydrocarbon. Moshe Nussinovitch, M.D. Jacob Amir, M.D. Itzhak Varsano, M.D.
Department of Pediatrics Hasharon Hospital Sackler School of Medicine Tel Aviv University
Petah Tiqva, Israel
REFERENCES 1.
2. 3.
4. 5.
resolve within
a
bronchospasm. Kerosene is
cause of such as erythema and eczematous dermatitiS.12 The combination of chemical pneumonitis and contact a
RB, Lord
RM. Kerosene intoxi-
Am J Dis Child. 1952;83:446-453.
7.
Steiner MM. Syndromes of kerosene poisoning in children. Am J Dis Child.
8.
BJ, Melmed RN. Clinical and therapeutic aspects of kerosene poisoning : a series of 200 cases. BMJ.
9.
Rai
1950;79:623-629.
1947;74:32-44. Buldachin
1964;2:28-30. UC, Singh TSK. Cardiopulmonary
changes sure to
10.
known
12.
in
mongrel dogs after expoIndian J Exp
kerosene smoke.
Biol. 1980;18:1263-1266. Casaco A, Garcia M, Gonzalez R, et al. Induction of acetylcholine esterase inhibition in guinea pig trachea by kerosene.
11.
dermatitis,
Downloaded from cpj.sagepub.com at NANYANG TECH UNIV LIBRARY on April 28, 2015
Olstad cation.
Reed ES, Leikin S, Kerman HD. Kerosene intoxication. Am J Dis Child.
week.
Chemical pneumonitis in humans after inhalation of kerosene is rarely reported. Chemical changes in guinea pigsl° were attributed to inhibition of choline esterase in the trachea and an increase in acetylcholine concentration, which acts on the smooth muscle of airways to cause
Klein BL, Simon JE. Hydrocarbon poisonPediatr . 1986;33:411-419. Clin North ing. Am Eade NR, Taussig LM, Marks MI. Hydrocarbon pneumonitis. Pediatrics. 1974;54:351-357. Foley JC, Dreyer NB, Soule AB Jr., et al. Kerosene poisoning in young children. Radiology. 1954;62:817-822. McNally WD. Kerosene poisoning in children. J Pediatr. 1956;48:296-299.
6.
weakness, dizziness, nervous-
weight loss, anemia, limb pain, paresthesia, and numbness. Respiratory symptoms may develop within minutes, usually during the first six hours,3,8,11 and ness,
contact
A meticulous history taken from the father revealed that the child had been treated with a piece of
574
wool dipped in kerosene to relieve mild upper airway congestion. This treatment was traditionally used for upper respiratory infections by the family, who were of Turkish origin. The child was given cephalosporins, and wet dressings with saline were applied to the skin lesions. After seven days, the skin and lung lesions disappeared. This child displayed two aspects of kerosene injury after this unusual use as a folk medicine. Kerosene poisoning in children has been reported by many authors The principal features are pulmonary irritation from aspiration during ingestion and central nervous system depression. Inhalation of kerosene is known to cause nausea; vomiting; coughing; and pulmonary irritation, which in animals progresses to pulmonary edema and pneumonia.9-11 Chronic inhalation
Respiration. 1985;48:46-49.
Richardson JA, Pratt-Thomas HR. Toxic effects of varying doses of kerosene administered by different routes. Am J Med Sci. 1951;221:531-536. Fitzpatrick TB. Dermatology in general
medicine. In: Textbook and Atlas. 2nd ed. 1979:1052.
Chemical Pneumonia And Dermatitis Caused By Kerosene Hydrocarbons cause poisoning in humans through ingestion and 1-8 but usually not by inhaaspiration, lation. Inhalation of kerosene as a cause of pneumonitis is reported in 9,10 We present a case of animals. pneumonia combined with contact dermatitis caused by kerosene inhalation as a consequence of an unusual use of this substance as folk medicine for upper respiratory tract infection. Case
Report
A 3 1/2-year-old boy was admitted to the emergency room because of progressive coughing and pain in the right arm. Initial physical examination revealed a well-developed child with a weight of 13 kg. Rectal temperature was 36.8°C. Diffuse rhonchi and rales were noted in both lung fields. Red, burnlike lesions 5 cm x 5 cm with small vesicles were noted on his right arm. The rest of his physical and neurologic examination was normal. Laboratory results included: erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 45 mm/hr, hemoglobin ll.l g/dL, hematocrit 36%, and white blood cell count of 5,300/cu mm. Urinalysis was normal. Culture from the vesicles was negative for bacteria and viruses. A chest radiograph showed left lower lobe pneumonia with possible bilateral interstitial
pneumonitis.
causes
dermatitis due to kerosene inhalation is a unique complication of this hydrocarbon. Moshe Nussinovitch, M.D. Jacob Amir, M.D. Itzhak Varsano, M.D.
Department of Pediatrics Hasharon Hospital Sackler School of Medicine Tel Aviv University
Petah Tiqva, Israel
REFERENCES 1.
2. 3.
4. 5.
resolve within
a
bronchospasm. Kerosene is
cause of such as erythema and eczematous dermatitiS.12 The combination of chemical pneumonitis and contact a
RB, Lord
RM. Kerosene intoxi-
Am J Dis Child. 1952;83:446-453.
7.
Steiner MM. Syndromes of kerosene poisoning in children. Am J Dis Child.
8.
BJ, Melmed RN. Clinical and therapeutic aspects of kerosene poisoning : a series of 200 cases. BMJ.
9.
Rai
1950;79:623-629.
1947;74:32-44. Buldachin
1964;2:28-30. UC, Singh TSK. Cardiopulmonary
changes sure to
10.
known
12.
in
mongrel dogs after expoIndian J Exp
kerosene smoke.
Biol. 1980;18:1263-1266. Casaco A, Garcia M, Gonzalez R, et al. Induction of acetylcholine esterase inhibition in guinea pig trachea by kerosene.
11.
dermatitis,
Downloaded from cpj.sagepub.com at NANYANG TECH UNIV LIBRARY on April 28, 2015
Olstad cation.
Reed ES, Leikin S, Kerman HD. Kerosene intoxication. Am J Dis Child.
week.
Chemical pneumonitis in humans after inhalation of kerosene is rarely reported. Chemical changes in guinea pigsl° were attributed to inhibition of choline esterase in the trachea and an increase in acetylcholine concentration, which acts on the smooth muscle of airways to cause
Klein BL, Simon JE. Hydrocarbon poisonPediatr . 1986;33:411-419. Clin North ing. Am Eade NR, Taussig LM, Marks MI. Hydrocarbon pneumonitis. Pediatrics. 1974;54:351-357. Foley JC, Dreyer NB, Soule AB Jr., et al. Kerosene poisoning in young children. Radiology. 1954;62:817-822. McNally WD. Kerosene poisoning in children. J Pediatr. 1956;48:296-299.
6.
weakness, dizziness, nervous-
weight loss, anemia, limb pain, paresthesia, and numbness. Respiratory symptoms may develop within minutes, usually during the first six hours,3,8,11 and ness,
contact
A meticulous history taken from the father revealed that the child had been treated with a piece of
574
wool dipped in kerosene to relieve mild upper airway congestion. This treatment was traditionally used for upper respiratory infections by the family, who were of Turkish origin. The child was given cephalosporins, and wet dressings with saline were applied to the skin lesions. After seven days, the skin and lung lesions disappeared. This child displayed two aspects of kerosene injury after this unusual use as a folk medicine. Kerosene poisoning in children has been reported by many authors The principal features are pulmonary irritation from aspiration during ingestion and central nervous system depression. Inhalation of kerosene is known to cause nausea; vomiting; coughing; and pulmonary irritation, which in animals progresses to pulmonary edema and pneumonia.9-11 Chronic inhalation
Respiration. 1985;48:46-49.
Richardson JA, Pratt-Thomas HR. Toxic effects of varying doses of kerosene administered by different routes. Am J Med Sci. 1951;221:531-536. Fitzpatrick TB. Dermatology in general
medicine. In: Textbook and Atlas. 2nd ed. 1979:1052.
