ABSTRACT
Foi realizada reavaliação sobre o estado de preservação de ovos de helmintos e cistos de protozoários mantidos por cerca de 40 anos em solução de iodo‑mercurato de potássio a 0,2%. Foi observado que ovos de Schistosoma mansoni, Ancylostomidae e Trichuris trichiura e oocistos de Isospora belli mantiveram‑se em condições adequadas para a sua identificação ao microscópio ótico comum. No material examinado, foi possível verificar a presença de miracídio em ovo de Schistosoma mansoni, forma larvada em ovo de T. trichiura e esporozoitos em oocistos de I. belli.
A reassessment was carried out on the preservation status of helminth eggs and protozoan cysts maintained for about 40 years in 0.2% potassium iodine‑mercurate solution. It was observed that Schistosoma mansoni, Ancylostomidae and Trichiuris trichiura eggs and Isospora belli oocysts were kept in conditions suitable for their identification under a common light microscope. In the examined material, it was possible to verify the presence of miracidium in S. mansoni egg, larvae in T. trichiura egg and sporozoites in I. belli oocysts.
Subject(s)
Mercury Compounds/analysis , Helminths , Oocysts , Preservation, Biological/instrumentationABSTRACT
Mercury is a toxic and non-essential metal in the human body. Mercury is ubiquitously distributed in the environment, present in natural products, and exists extensively in items encountered in daily life. There are three forms of mercury, i.e., elemental (or metallic) mercury, inorganic mercury compounds, and organic mercury compounds. This review examines the toxicity of elemental mercury and inorganic mercury compounds. Inorganic mercury compounds are water soluble with a bioavailability of 7% to 15% after ingestion; they are also irritants and cause gastrointestinal symptoms. Upon entering the body, inorganic mercury compounds are accumulated mainly in the kidneys and produce kidney damage. In contrast, human exposure to elemental mercury is mainly by inhalation, followed by rapid absorption and distribution in all major organs. Elemental mercury from ingestion is poorly absorbed with a bioavailability of less than 0.01%. The primary target organs of elemental mercury are the brain and kidney. Elemental mercury is lipid soluble and can cross the blood-brain barrier, while inorganic mercury compounds are not lipid soluble, rendering them unable to cross the blood-brain barrier. Elemental mercury may also enter the brain from the nasal cavity through the olfactory pathway. The blood mercury is a useful biomarker after short-term and high-level exposure, whereas the urine mercury is the ideal biomarker for long-term exposure to both elemental and inorganic mercury, and also as a good indicator of body burden. This review discusses the common sources of mercury exposure, skin lightening products containing mercury and mercury release from dental amalgam filling, two issues that happen in daily life, bear significant public health importance, and yet undergo extensive debate on their safety.