An epidemic of arsenic neuropathy from a spiked curry

Acute arsenic poisoning, in suicidal and homicidal attempts or by accidental ingestion, has become very rare, and detailed information on the natural course of acute arsenic neuropathy is also limited. We report changes in the peripheral nerve function over a 12-month period in eight cases of acute arsenic neuropathy from a single exposure. Sixty-seven people were diagnosed with acute arsenic poisoning in Wakayama, Japan in 1998 owing to the deliberate poisoning of curry soup with arsenic that was served at a local festival. We performed peripheral nerve function tests in eight patients who were admitted to our hospital in a serial fashion at 1, 3, and 12 months after the exposure. No history of any serious illnesses including diabetes mellitus, renal failure, or alcoholism was reported. The estimated arsenic intake was calculated from the urine arsenic amount. Orthostatic hypotension was evaluated by passive tilt standing and heart rate variability with deep respiration was monitored. Vibration perception thresholds (VPT) were assessed …