Question

A disease caused by eating fish contaminated by industrial waste, containing mercury compounds, is called as
A. osteosclerosis
B. Hashimoto's disease
C. Bright's disease
D. Minamata disease.

Answer 1

Hint:- This disease affects mainly the central nervous system.Minamata diseases is a congenital form of the disease that can also affect the foetus in the womb. In the above options only one disease affects the foetus.

Complete step-by-step solution:-Minamata disease was first discovered in Minamata city in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan 1956.This disease was caused by the release of methylmercury in the industrial waste in the water from the Chisso Corporation's chemical factory .This continued from 1932 to 1968. Minamata Disease has been going on for 50 years, but it still hasn't been resolved.
 This highly toxic chemical is bio accumulated in shellfish and fish in Minamata Bay and the Shiranai Sea. This fish eaten by the local population resulted in mercury poisoning. Thus the disease name is known as Minamata disease Signs of symptoms of this disease include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, loss of peripheral vision, general muscle weakness, damage to hearing and speech. In extreme conditions paralysis, coma and sometimes death follow within weeks of the onset of symptoms. Even the unborn child is at risk from Minamata disease. Methyl mercury readily crosses the placenta from mother to fetus and is damaging, particularly to the developing brain. Children born with Minamata disease can have growth deficiency mainly microcephaly that is an abnormally small head,severe mental retardation and be deaf and blind


Correct option: D Minamata disease

Note:- There is no particular treatment for this disease. Main treatment involves temporary relief of symptoms and rehabilitation that includes physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Once the nerve cells are dead they cannot be regenerated. It is difficult to cure patients with severe nerve cell damages.