Nutritional and environmental diseases

Question 1

What are the heavy metals normally implicated in disease? Hint - there are 4.

Answer 1

Lead, mercurary, arsenic, cadmium

Question 2

What is the main source of lead-containing products that cause lead poisoning in children?

Answer 2

Lead containing paint
Lead containing drinking water

Question 3

What does lead cause in children?

Answer 3

CNS developmental defects, cartilege remodelling issues, anaemia.

Question 4

What does lead cause in adults?

Answer 4

Peripheral neuropathy, catilege remodelling issues, anaemia.

Question 5

What is the majory source of mercury poisoning?

Answer 5

Fish.

Question 6

What is caused by mercury exposure in children?

Answer 6

Methyl mercury accumulates in the CNS. Causes minamata disease - characterised by cerbral palsy, deafness, and blindness.

Question 7

What is the source of most arsenic implicated in arsenic poisoning?

Answer 7

Soil and water. Wood preservatives and herbicides. It is also a component of alternative medicines.

Question 8

What are the consequences of arsenic exposure?

Answer 8

Interferes with oxidative phosphorylation and protein function. Toxic GI, CNS and CVS effects. Long term exposure causes skin lesions and carcinomas.

Question 9

Where does cadmium exposure usually come from?

Answer 9

Nickel-cadmium batteries and chemical fertillisers.

Question 10

What does excess cadmium exposure cause?

Answer 10

Obstructive lung disease (COPD), kidney damage.

Question 11

What type of issue is caused by paracetamol overdose in the liver/

Answer 11

Centrilobular liver necrosis.

Question 12

How can ionising radition indirectly cause cellular damage?

Answer 12

Generating free radicals from water or O2 molecules.