Thallium Poisoning: Clinical Observations Through Two Outbreaks in Basrah

In a study conducted at Basrah Teaching Hospital from January 2009 to February 2010, 32 patients were treated for thallium poisoning across two separate outbreaks. The first outbreak, which affected 17 patients with a mean age of 24, was caused by the ingestion of contaminated cake, while the second, involving 15 patients with a mean age of 15, resulted from accidental ingestion of rat poison. All patients tested positive for thallium in their urine. The most common symptoms observed were hair loss on the scalp and limbs, a dusky ecchymotic red rash on the face and extremities, and peripheral neuropathy, which was present in 50% of the patients from the second outbreak. Prior to the correct diagnosis, patients were mistakenly treated with zinc-sulphate. Ultimately, 30 patients improved and 2 died. The study concluded that thallium poisoning outbreaks can occur due to accidental ingestion or for criminal purposes, and the poisoning presents with distinctive dermatological, neurological, and psychological symptoms that aid in diagnosis.