Metal Fume Fever
Metal fume fever is an acute febrile illness associated with the inhalation of respirable particles (fume) of zinc oxide. Although metal fume fever has also been invoked as a generic effect of exposure to numerous other metal oxides (copper, cadmium, iron, magnesium, and manganese), there is little evidence to support this. Metal fume fever usually occurs in workplace settings involving welding, melting, or flame-cutting of galvanized metal (zinc-coated steel), or in brass foundry operations. Zinc chloride exposure may occur from smoke bombs; although it can cause severe lung injury, it does not cause metal fume fever.
Mechanism of toxicity. Metal fume fever results from inhalation of zinc oxide (neither ingestion nor parenteral administration induces this syndrome). The mechanism is uncertain but may be cytokine-mediated. It does not involve sensitization (it is not an allergy) and can occur with first exposure (in persons previously naïve to inhaled zinc oxide).
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